Of Monsters and Men
by Nate Grey
Summary: With both Euphemia and Nunnally held hostage at the Lake Kawaguchi Hotel, Zero comes up with a new strategy, one that may draw two princesses of Britannia to his cause. But the Imperial Family has a certain way of keeping its members in check...
1. Of Monsters and Men

* * *

Notes: This story was born out of a very simple idea: what if Nunnally had been one of the hostages at Lake Kawaguchi?

Summary: A meeting with Zero leaves Nunnally and Euphemia with conflicting views about the death of Clovis.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

* * *

It had been a purely last-minute, impulsive decision, and now Milly wished that she'd never made it. But how could she not have? Just the thought of poor Nunnally sitting at home, playing cards with Sayoko, waiting faithfully for Lelouch was just pathetic. Nunnally had suffered enough in her brief life, and she deserved far better treatment. But she also loved Lelouch so completely that she would never insist that he take her everywhere with him, or impose herself on what she saw as his relatively normal life.

At fourteen, Nunnally was already setting herself up to be Lelouch's baby sister for the rest of her days, and that just wasn't right. If she never experienced the world beyond Lelouch's devotion and Sayoko's nurturing, she would never mature into the beautiful, intelligent woman that Milly firmly believed she could still become.

On some level, Milly still thought that it wasn't a total mistake. She'd heard the sheer delight in Nunnally's voice over the phone, at being remembered and included in a group activity, and without Lelouch, for that matter.

But that simple outing had turned into a disastrous hostage situation, thanks to some madmen from the Japanese Liberation Front, and their guns. Milly, Nunnally, Shirley, Nina, and several other people were being held inside of the Lake Kawaguchi Convention Center Hotel, in a ballrooms on one of the lower levels. So far, they'd only been ordered to sit on the floor and keep quiet. But already Nunnally had drawn the attention of the terrorists: she couldn't move as fast as anyone else, someone had to guide her at all times, and it would've been more of a hassle to remove her from the wheelchair and put her on the floor, in case they needed to move the hostages in a hurry.

Milly knew she was not the only person in the ballroom that had realized it might be far easier for the terrorists to just kill Nunnally, and that frightened her more than anything else. Nunnally must have realized this as well, because she was being extra careful to do exactly what she was told, and never made any of the men repeat himself.

But already Milly had noticed one of the men giving Nunnally dirty looks, as if she were complicating things just by sitting there. True, she was the only hostage not seated directly on the floor, but that was a matter of convenience, for both her and them. A desperate man running out of options in his life, however, was not likely to recognize that, and the ballroom was currently full of those types.

Soon enough, several other men were eyeing Nunnally with growing distaste. Frowning, Milly reached over and gently grasped Nunnally's hand, hoping it was enough to reassure the girl. Shirley soon did the same, and Milly gave her a small smile of appreciation. They were, of course, indirectly defying the terrorists, who had told them to do nothing. But Milly wanted it known that whatever happened to Nunnally, happened to her as well.

But, in true Nunnally fashion, the young girl wasn't at all concerned for herself. As quietly as she could, she leaned towards Milly and murmured, "You should hold Nina's hand, too."

Milly blinked and turned to Nina, who had gone entirely unnoticed by her. After getting a good look, she wasn't sure how that was possible. Nina's eyes were wide and watery, zipping back and forth as she threw fearful glances at the men. Her breathing was loud and fairly rapid, as if she were about to start hyperventilating. She was obviously on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and that was the last thing that anyone needed. Milly's fingers had just reached Nina's when one the men shouted.

"You! What did you say to her?!" He ran over to them, pointing his gun at Nunnally.

Nunnally didn't answer, partially out of fear, but mostly because she couldn't be sure if the man was talking to her.

"She's blind," Milly said quickly, wincing as the man (and more importantly, his gun) turned towards her. "My friend won't know if you're talking to her unless you say her name."

The man sneered at her. "I don't care what her name-"

A second man with a gun walked over, silencing the first with a sharp look. "What is the girl's name?"

"Nunnally," Milly answered, resisting the urge to smile faintly as her young friend turned towards her.

The second man nodded, stepping closer to Nunnally and leaning down so that his mouth was close to her ear. "Hello, Nunnally. My name is Yang. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask me. I'll be nearby from now on. Now, would you be so kind as to tell me what you said to your friend here?"

Nunnally nodded. "I asked her to hold my other friend's hand, Mr. Yang. She's very scared."

"I see, and just Yang will be fine," Yang replied, glancing at Nina, which only seemed to scare her worse. "Has this sort of thing happened to her before?"

"No. I'm the only one this sort of thing has happened to before," Nunnally said softly.

"Is that how you became blind, and lost the use of your legs?"

"Yes."

Yang nodded, as if making a decision, and then handed his gun to his companion. "Take my post," he ordered.

The first man scowled, but nodded and walked away.

Yang turned back to Nunnally. "I have given up my gun, Nunnally. You don't have to worry about anyone pointing one at you, or your friends, from now on."

"Thank you, Yang," Nunnally replied. "You're very kind."

"Ah, thank you, but the world is not," Yang said. "You see, my comrades and I are mostly Japanese soldiers. We were proud to defend Japan's honor, and are proud to be Japanese, and that will never change. We despise being called Elevens. Can you understand that?"

"Yes," Nunnally agreed. "My caretaker is Japanese. She has never been anything but kind to me, and I hate to think of how she might be treated in public."

Milly was listening closely, but she was also keeping an eye on Nina, who seemed to be growing more and more upset the more Yang spoke. Milly squeezed her hand several times, but it didn't appear to have any impact.

"It was never our wish to take hostages," Yang was explaining, "but surely you understand that Britannians do not take the Japanese seriously, now that we pose no major threat to them. They will not even acknowledge us by our proper name. The only way to gain their attention these days is to disrupt their lives, often with violence or terrorism. But we are still just Japanese soldiers at heart, fighting for our homeland."

"But you can't go home if it doesn't exist," Nunnally whispered.

Yang smiled, and it was a startlingly genuine one. "I see you understand our plight, Nunnally. I am sorry we had to meet under such conditions. Any other day, I believe you and I might have been friends."

"Can't we still be friends?" Nunnally asked, removing her hand from Milly's and stretching it out towards Yang. "At least for a little while?"

Yang paused, staring at her hand for a few seconds. They never did find out what his decision was, for at that moment, Nina lurched forward and yanked Nunnally's hand back.

Instantly, every gun in the room was trained on Nina.

Yang gave another sharp command in Japanese, and most of the men relaxed, if only slightly.

"Stop talking to him, Nunnally!" Nina cried, shaking her head wildly. "You can't trust an Eleven! In case you forgot, we're their hostages! They're nothing but killers, and they're going to kill us all!"

"I have told you that my comrades and I don't like to be addressed as Elevens," Yang said calmly, though his voice was shaking with barely suppressed rage. "Why do you insist on agitating us?"

"Why do you insist on torturing us?!" Nina demanded. "Just let us go!"

"We will," Yang replied, "the moment Britannia takes the needed steps to let Japan go and regain its former glory. Until then, you will stay here and do what we tell you. And you can start by sitting down, and not speaking another word, young lady."

"What does it matter?" Nina whispered, her voice trembling. "You're just going to kill us, anyway."

"A room full of expendable hostages would be pointless," Yang sighed. "If your lives had no value, we wouldn't bother keeping you alive, and Britannia wouldn't hesitate to destroy this hotel. But that doesn't mean sacrifices won't be made, and the first to go are those that continue to give us problems."

"So you are going to kill us!" Nina yelled accusingly.

"At this point, just you," one of the nearby men muttered, but just loud enough for Nina to hear him.

Without warning, Nina spun around and slapped him across the face. The man froze and stared at her, more stunned by her sudden bravery than the actual blow. But Nina assumed the latter and went for his gun. Her reflexes were nothing to a battle-hardened soldier's, though, and she'd barely taken a step before his gun swung up to point at her chest.

* * *

Every member of the Imperial Family was trained in what to do in almost any kind of emergency, and Euphemia had never been more appreciative of that fact. But she was quickly realizing that theory would be a lot different from practice. The hostages themselves were turning out to be more unpredictable than the actual terrorists, and since Euphemia could never guess how they would behave, it would be difficult to assume command of the situation as she'd been taught.

Still, she had no intention of allowing anyone to be seriously harmed or killed, despite what she'd been trained to do.

The training had not been worthless, however: it had helped her pick out the most likely hostages to be executed, which was what had first brought the wheelchair-bound girl to her attention. There was something about that girl's face that made Euphemia's heart skip a beat, but she couldn't decide what it might be. She was familiar in a way that no one else had ever been, and Euphemia's thoughts were continuously drawn back to her.

At least, until one of the hostages began open challenging the terrorists. Euphemia could hear the desperation in the girl's voice, and knew this could not end well. There was no choice; she would have to reveal her identity far sooner than she'd planned, or the girl would die.

Sure enough, the girl attacked a terrorist, and he instantly moved to shoot her.

Euphemia's voice rang out as she stood up. "STOP! As Third Princess of the Britannian Empire, I, Euphemia li Britannia, command you to stop!"

The man did stop, but not because she'd ordered him to. He stopped because he, and his comrades, all saw that they had a very important hostage, and a great deal more leverage than they'd originally thought.

"This certainly changes things," said the unarmed man who appeared to be in charge. "I assume you're willing to aid us in negotiating with the Viceroy, Your Highness?"

Euphemia nodded slowly. "I'll do whatever I can to end this without bloodshed. I'm sure my sister wants the same thing."

* * *

Just two floors below, Zero was gradually making his way up to the hostages, surrounded by a ten-man armed guard every step of the way. At a glance, it was difficult to say if they were protecting him, or their own interests, however. Certainly Zero's cause was at least similar to their own, and that was presumably why he was being allowed to meet with their leader. But as this was Zero, there was no telling what he'd do at any given moment, and there was a real possibility that they'd have to kill him before the night was done.

None of that showed in Zero's confident, almost regal stride, though. It was as if the tension in the air didn't effect him at all, like this was just another day for him. And maybe it was.

Anyone else would've been dead, especially attempting to pass through one of Cornelia li Britannia's blockades. But Zero had gotten through, somehow, and without a scratch on him. That practically made him a god of war, or strategy, or SOMETHING to half of the men. Some were even wondering if mere bullets actually could hurt him by that point.

Of course, all of the men were under the spell of Zero's Geass, though none of them knew it. He had even found, with C.C.'s help, a way around the limitation of only being able to control them once. Every additional terrorist the group passed of course at least gave them a brief glance, and when they did, Zero and his single exposed eye were awaiting them.

"You will do whatever I tell you to at any given moment. Now then, let's move on."

The latter part was solely for the men already under his control, both to dismiss any lingering suspicion from the first order (which had no effect on them, as they were already subconsciously following it), and to immediately put them back under his power.

By the time they reached the ballroom where the hostages were being held, Zero had already figured out what he needed to do to safeguard his deal (or contract, an annoyingly familiar voice murmured in his head) with Cornelia and deliver Euphemia safely.

He exposed his eye just before entering the ballroom, and spoke immediately with the help of the built-in distorter/amplifier in his helmet. "No one will be harmed or killed tonight."

The terrorists before him immediately sagged a bit, lowering their guns but not dropping them. Apparently their being soldiers allowed them to resist a tiny bit, but no more than that.

It was beneficial but unfortunate that the command had also been issued to all of the hostages. At least, it was unfortunate in the case of Euphemia: she could've been of some real use to him under a different spell in the future, but at least now she was guaranteed a future.

Movement caught his eye, and Zero felt a chill pass through his body as one of the men stood up. He was unarmed, but he was also standing dangerously close to Nunnally. She didn't look scared, at least, but that didn't really mean anything. His heart had stopped when he'd first realized that she might be among the hostages, but he was glad to see her mostly unharmed.

"So, the infamous Zero has graced us with his presence. I am Yang. To what do we owe the honor?" the man asked.

"The only reason Cornelia hasn't blown up this hotel is because her dear little sister is inside. Euphemia is your best and only way out of this alive. The first thing you must do is offer proof that she is still among the living."

Yang nodded. "That is acceptable to me. We brought along video cameras for that very purpose." He turned to Euphemia, whose eyes were locked solely on Zero. "I trust you will cooperate by telling your sister to hold back her forces for the time being, Princess?"

Euphemia blinked, a little startled. "Yes," she said firmly.

"Afterwards, I will speak to Euphemia alone," Zero said.

A frown appeared on Yang's face. "You do realize you can in no way damage her?"

Zero laughed. "I am no fool. Cornelia will do anything we say, so long as Euphemia is unhurt. No, I merely wish confirm my suspicions about the Imperial Family, and I can only get the information I need from one of them."

Euphemia's eyes narrowed. "I won't make it any easier for you to kill another member of my family! I won't help you!"

Zero strode towards her, and Euphemia flinched as he moved closer, then gasped as he brushed past her and walked right up to Nunnally. "Wait!" she cried as Zero reached out and took Nunnally's hand. "Don't hurt her!"

"I am not interested in hurting anyone in this room," Zero replied. "What I want is information. An unbiased opinion to counter my own ideas. I wonder how the hostages feel about you taking their lives in your hands, Third Princess?" He turned to Nunnally. "Tell me, young lady, do you think that Euphemia is making the right choices so far?"

Nunnally was silent for a long moment. Finally, she lifted her head and said softly, "She's doing the best she can. But she's scared, like the rest of us. It isn't fair to punish her for trying to protect her family. Anyone else here would do the same."

"And what do you think of me?" Zero asked. "Be honest, now. No harm will come to you."

She bit her lip slightly. "Well, you're scary, even on TV. But you saved someone I care about, so I don't think you're all bad. But you also said you killed Prince Clovis, so I don't know..."

"Do you believe that I mean no harm to anyone in this room?"

"I want to, but I can't help thinking that you came here to kill Princess Euphemia..."

Zero chuckled, the sound strangely amplified by his helmet. "That is a logical conclusion. But aside from being members of the same family, the late Clovis and Euphemia are nothing alike. I have no reason to kill her. Him, on the other hand, I was hard-pressed to find a reason not to kill."

"Liar," Euphemia whispered, shaking her head.

"Oh, really?" Zero asked. "I think any of these soldiers could tell you a thing or two about your brother's cruelty, or rather, his laziness, which resulted in his refusal to abolish cruelty that was already in place, and then in his order to exterminate innocent people. But we can talk about that more after you do your part, Princess."

* * *

Cornelia frowned as she watched the tape for the third time.

On the screen, Euphemia was seated in an empty room, her hands resting in her lap. "So please, Cornelia, do not interfere any further. I am confident that I can end this crisis peacefully without any assistance. Please trust me."

"She isn't using any of the code words or signals," Cornelia muttered. "There's no way she could've forgotten them. What can you be thinking, Euphie? You can't handle this alone."

Shaking her head, Cornelia rewound the tape and started to watch it again.

* * *

Euphemia did her best to remain calm as she was escorted back to the ballroom by Yang. She half-expected to find the other hostages all dead, but that was not the case. No one had been harmed in her absence, and Zero was still talking to the wheelchair-bound girl. She looked a lot less afraid of him, for some reason, and he was no longer holding her hand.

Zero looked up as Euphemia approached him. "Now that we won't be interrupted, it's time to begin our discussion."

"Fine," Euphemia replied coldly.

"Are you still concerned that I won't keep my word?" he asked, almost sounding amused. "Suppose I have someone accompany us?"

Euphemia knew who he meant the moment the words left his mouth. "Leave her out of this! It has nothing to do with her!"

"That's the problem with you royal types. You fail to realize that even the smallest decisions you make impact everyday people at every level. That's just one of the things we'll talk about." Zero turned to the girl in the wheelchair. "Would you like to join the princess and I? I think your opinion would be most welcome."

"If you promise you won't hurt her," the girl said after a moment, "I'll go with you."

Euphemia could barely believe her ears. She was supposed to be using her power to protect these people, and instead, the weakest of them was saving her. Nothing was going as she'd hoped.

"I give you my word, again," Zero replied, and this time there was definitely some amusement in his voice. "Princess, if you would be so kind as to help our mutual friend?"

Keeping one eye on Zero, Euphemia slowly moved to the back of the wheelchair and pushed it forward, following Zero out of the ballroom. When she thought Zero was far enough ahead of them in the hallway, she leaned down and whispered, "You can't trust him."

The girl turned her head slightly, and a sad smile appeared on her face. "I can't trust you, either."

Euphemia paused, shock rolling over her. "Why-"

"Your sister loves you, so much that she'd do anything to save you. But she won't care if everyone else here dies. You know that, too, even if you'd never admit it."

"You don't know that!" Euphemia hissed in outrage.

"I'm afraid I know it all too well. I'll only live if Zero's interest in me lasts. I have far more reason to cooperate with him than you."

"How can you say that? You're Britannian!"

"All I am right now is a hostage. Tell me, does your sister know my name? Do you? What incentive would your sister have to protect me? How would her life change at all if I died tonight?"

At first, Euphemia could think of no response. "My life would change," she said solemnly.

"So would my brother's," the girl replied. "But he wouldn't have wealth, power, and family to comfort him. I am everything in the world to him, and he tells me so every night. If I do die here, you'll meet him, even if only for a moment."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Euphemia asked.

"Because he'd stop at nothing to kill everyone in your family, including you," the girl replied softly. "That's the kind of person he is. Everything else has been taken from him by Britannia. If I die, he'll have nothing but revenge to live for."

"One person can't possibly defeat Britannia," Euphemia pointed out.

"Why not? It only takes one person to rule it."

Euphemia frowned, saying nothing more as they followed Zero into a small office. She paused at finding him standing just inside the door.

"It's quite difficult to reason with someone who has experienced Britannia's cruelty, isn't it, Princess?" he asked smugly.

"The same could be said of serial killers," she answered stonily.

Zero tilted his head slightly. "I have only ever admitted to one murder."

"But you intend to kill other members of the Imperial Family, don't you?"

"If they insist on repeating the mistakes of Clovis? Definitely." He turned away, walking past a desk and staring at a portrait on the wall. "Tell me what you knew about him, Euphemia. What kind of man was Clovis? How did he treat you?"

* * *

"He was always a perfect gentleman to me. I almost never saw him without a warm smile on his face. Every year on my birthday, he would take me shopping for whatever I wanted."

Nunnally considered Euphemia's words carefully. The Clovis she remembered most had been a skinny, arrogant boy that always lost at chess to Lelouch. He, too, had been nice to her. But that always came to an abrupt halt after each loss. Then, he wouldn't speak to either of them for nearly a week.

Zero seemed to pick up on her thoughts. "And do you honestly believe he was fond of you?"

Euphemia opened her mouth, paused, and thought for a few more seconds. "I can't be sure," she said at last. "He showered me with gifts, but he never really took an interest in me or what I cared about. He was always boasting about being a gifted actor, so maybe that's exactly what he was doing with me. I think he felt closer to his brothers."

"Clovis was indeed an actor," Zero commented. "He acted as if he wasn't solely responsible for the massacre of Shinjuku."

"But that was-"

"Me?" Zero asked, laughter in his voice. "Oh, yes, the poison gas. Allow me to educate you, Princess. Not one of those people died from gas. I'd bet anything that almost all died from gunshots, and that the bullets all came from Clovis's forces. In case you haven't caught on, there never was any poison gas in the stolen container. That was just a convenient lie for that your elites told their men, and I merely used that lie against them. It's not as if you could tell them that Clovis ordered the extermination of the ghetto, just to cover up his mistake. Then they'd be aware of just how heartless Britannia's Imperial Family can be. Although I wouldn't think that would be such a big secret by now."

Nunnally tuned them out for a moment, suddenly recalling how Clovis would act each time he'd lost at chess. He would rant, scream, and sob until he was red in the face, accusing Lelouch of cheating. But he always came back for a rematch, as if nothing had ever happened. Could such a boy have grown up to become a wide scale murderer? She wasn't sure, but it wouldn't have surprised her. People in their family that she had once thought far more gentle had often matured into people completely unlike themselves.

"Why do you hate my family so much?" Euphemia asked abruptly. "What did we ever do to you?"

Zero didn't reply immediately. Instead he paced the room a few times, and then suddenly spun to face them. "I'm a very fortunate man. Imagine, being allowed an audience with two princesses of Britannia."

Nunnally's heart started beating rapidly. He knew? How could he know? And why would he tell Euphemia?

"Two?" Euphemia said slowly. She actually glanced around the office, as if looking for someone else. Then she looked at Nunnally, really looked at her, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No. No, no, no, no, no..."

Feeling utterly trapped, Nunnally said the only thing she could. "Hi, big sister Euphie."

"NUNNALLY!" Euphemia shrieked, tears pouring down her face as she sank to the floor and buried her face in Nunnally's lap. "You... but you're... you can't be..."

"I am," Nunnally assured her, gently running her fingers through Euphemia's hair. "I've missed you terribly."

"But you're dead!" Euphemia sobbed. "I saw... I SAW you! You and Lelouch, you were... I was at your funeral! And the two coffins, you were IN them!"

Nunnally blinked as she absorbed that information. "That wasn't us, big sister. I promise it wasn't."

Euphemia's head whipped up. "Then Lelouch, too? He's not...? He's...?"

"Alive," Nunnally confirmed softly.

Euphemia started bawling all over again, clutching Nunnally tightly. "You're alive, you're alive," she kept whispering, rocking back and forth.

"I'm very happy to be with you again," Nunnally sighed, stroking Euphemia's hair. "But I hope you realize now that Zero is right, about some things. I can't trust your family anymore. If they would have you believe that Lelouch and I were dead, what do you think they'd do if they found out that you knew the truth? I don't know why you have memories of our funeral, but either it didn't really happen, or some other poor souls were in our coffins." Each possibility was equally horrible in her mind, but somehow the first bothered her more. If something had been done to Euphemia's mind, the same might apply to everyone in the family. Nunnally had never wanted to believe that her father might've had something or everything to do with her mother's murder, despite what Lelouch thought, but now she wondered if he'd been right all along.

Unfortunately, Euphemia didn't look as if she'd taken in anything Nunnally had said. She was still completely fixated on the idea that Nunnally was alive at all. "I used to put your hair in pigtails," she murmured, reaching up to gently run her fingertips along Nunnally's cheek.

"Maybe you can again," Nunnally whispered, even though she seriously doubted they'd ever see each other after that night.

* * *

Zero merely stood in silence as he watched the teary reunion. His mind, however, was racing.

Euphemia's reaction was along the lines of what he'd expected it to be. However, it seemed a bit off. Instead of listening to Nunnally, Euphemia just kept hugging her and reliving old, happy memories. It was almost as if her mind wasn't completely able to accept the fact that Nunnally was alive in the present. Once he added in the fact that C.C. had been in Britannian hands when he'd met her, that led him to one conclusion.

"Could it be Geass?" he thought to himself. "Would they really use it on the Imperial Family? Wait, of course they would. They're the most powerful people in Britannia." If that was the case, however, then his spell earlier hadn't had any effect on Euphemia. Maybe that was why she was so reluctant to believe him. He wasn't going to make much progress with her then, and neither would Nunnally. But perhaps the knowledge that he and Nunnally were alive at all would be enough to weaken the current spell on Euphemia's mind.

"I hope you don't expect to share this news with anyone," Zero said aloud, finally recapturing Euphemia's attention. "You have no way of knowing who in the Imperial Family expects Nunnally to be dead, and what they'll do to keep her that way. You can't even tell Cornelia."

That, at least, seemed to get through, because Euphemia's grip on Nunnally tightened noticeably.

"He's right, big sister," Nunnally agreed. "You can't tell anyone that Lelouch and I are still alive. We were hiding for a reason."

"Then you can't come home?" Euphemia asked sadly.

"No, I'm afraid not. Things can't be like they were. Our worlds are too different now."

"But I can't lose you, not again! There has to be some way I can still see you!"

Before Zero could reply, Nunnally beat him to it.

"If there is a way, then you, and you alone, will have to find it, Euphie."

From that point, a certain fire entered Euphemia's eyes that Zero had never seen there before. It was as if Nunnally had somehow breached the wall in Euphemia's mind left there by Geass.

"We will be together again, Nunnally," Euphemia swore.

"I hope so, big sister. I really do."

* * *

The moment he was done shooting the supports out from under the hotel, Suzaku sent the Lancelot racing forward. He knew he only had mere seconds before the terrorists got their bearings and took control again.

"Stop right where you are, Lancelot!" came a stern voice over his radio. He recognized it as Princess Cornelia's. "Don't take another step!"

"But, Your Highness, if we wait any longer, the hostages-!" Suzaku cried.

"Stand down and leave this to the professionals, Warrant Officer! This situation is far too delicate for you to handle!"

The statement was so outrageous that Suzaku very nearly protested. Hadn't he just done what they could not? Was Cornelia really that biased against Elevens and Honorary Britannians, even when they were on her side?

"But we're not on the same side," Suzaku reminded himself. "I want to save all of the hostages, no matter what. But she just wants to make sure a Britannian does it." All the same, he couldn't disobey a direct order from Cornelia. So he brought the Lancelot to a halt, and watched as Cornelia and her men raced past him in their Knightmares. Personally, he had his doubts that they could finish the job, and his suspicions were soon proved correct.

Not a moment later, the hotel was rocked by a series of huge explosions, bathing the surrounding area in smoke and debris.

Suzaku felt his heart stop. They were dead, every last one of them, and he'd failed. All his talk about changing Britannia was useless, if he would always allow himself to be controlled by those blinded by prejudice. The fault was not his alone, however. If Cornelia hadn't stopped him, perhaps he could've done something to help. Maybe Zero had been right about change only being possible from outside of Britannia.

All his thoughts came to a stop, however, when he finally noticed the boats slicing through the smoke. Boats that were filled with living, breathing hostages.

* * *

A million thoughts ran through Nunnally's head as Milly slowly steered her through the crowd of former hostages, with Nina and Shirley right behind them. Although many of the hostages were confused, as they still had Zero's words ringing in their ears. At one point, the group passed so close to the two princesses that she could hear their conversation. Cornelia wanted to hold the hostages for questioning, probably to gain some insight into Zero's motives. But Euphemia was insisting that they were all tired and frustrated enough, and that the best thing to do was simply record personal information and then allow the hostages to go home.

Somehow, in the maze of people, Milly managed to spot Shirley's father. She had to shout several times to make herself heard, and when he finally did spot them, he gave each of the girls a tight hug, and then practically shoved them into his car in his rush to get them safely home. Of course, he had to take his time with Nunnally, and it was then that they were stopped.

"Please hold on!" Euphemia said as she rushed over. "Sir, would you allow me to make sure that Nunnally gets home safely? I would consider it a personal favor."

Mr. Fenette was so flustered at being approached by a princess that he barely managed to stammer out, "A-As you w-wish, Your Highness."

"I have to go, too!" Milly blurted out at once. "I promised Lelouch I'd stay with her!"

"Of course," Euphemia agreed, her eyes watering slightly as she touched Milly's shoulder. "I'll make sure that all of you are able to get through the Viceroy's barricade."

* * *

Overall, Zero was pleased with how things had progressed. He'd left half of the JLF with an order to kill the other half that he could not command further, but only after the hostages were out safely. Anyone left was to then to take their own lives. It might look strange, but he was willing to bet that Britannia wouldn't put any effort into finding out how each man there died, so long as they had their precious princess back.

It had been difficult to send Nunnally out with the other hostages, but there was just no way to keep her with him, not without getting plenty of questions from the Black Knights. He would have to trust that Euphemia would keep her identity a secret, even from Cornelia.

And if she didn't, well, that was just another reason to justify his war on Britannia.

* * *

Euphemia was unable to say about half of the things to Nunnally that she really wanted to in her private transport. Milly had a death grip on Nunnally's hand, and could not be pried from her side for anything. While Euphemia admired that kind of devotion, especially after what they'd all just been through, she needed a way to separate the two, at least temporarily. Milly had already insisted that they take Nunnally home first, though, so it didn't look as if there would be a real chance to talk in private.

For most of the ride to Ashford Academy, Milly asked tons of questions. She was mostly concerned about whether or not Euphemia and Nunnally had been hurt in any way while they were out of her sight. Milly even checked Nunnally for bruises, which Nunnally allowed until Milly reached her legs. Both of them were a little startled when Euphemia requested that privilege, and Nunnally was so surprised and touched that she didn't refuse. Perhaps it was a bad idea for Milly to see how tenderly Euphemia handled Nunnally's legs, as if she'd done it before (which she had, even if she didn't recall it), but no one was thinking of that at the time.

"I want to apologize to both of you," Euphemia said at one point. "I know you must both be upset with me, after how badly I handled the situation."

"What are you talking about?" Milly asked, clearly confused. "You saved us all!"

"No, I didn't," Euphemia sighed, closing her eyes. "Zero did, as much as I wish that wasn't true. From the time he arrived, those men followed each and every one of his commands. I have no doubt that things would have been much worse for us if he hadn't come when he did. I still can't believe that the man who killed my brother chose to spare my life."

"He's probably an Eleven," Milly reasoned. "That would explain why he killed Prince Clovis, and how he was able to control the terrorists with no problem. Maybe they were just more of his Black Knights all along."

"They aren't the only people who have problems with the Imperial Family, Milly," Nunnally said quietly. "I thought you, of all people, would understand that they can be just as tough on Britannians. Did you forget what happened to your family?"

Milly blushed slightly. "No, but I assume Elevens get worse treatment more often. I've never heard of any Britannian Liberation Front or anything like that."

"I don't think Zero is Japanese at all," Euphemia murmured. "He seemed to know things that only a Britannian noble would've known. So maybe Nunnally is closer to the truth than she realizes."

Milly stared at the princess for a long moment. "Nunnally... she knows?" Milly whispered.

Nunnally merely nodded.

"That Nunnally is my sister? Yes, I know," Euphemia sighed. "I do now, anyway. I still can't believe that she and Lelouch were alive all this time, and I never knew. When I think of all the time we've lost..."

"It couldn't have been prevented," Nunnally said softly. "Lelouch was so angry after our mother was killed. Even if he hadn't confronted our father, we wouldn't have been able to stay there, knowing that she died in that way. We wouldn't have been able to trust anyone around us. Lelouch is still convinced that it was the work of someone within the Imperial Family, and so they're all effectively our enemies until we find the truth."

Euphemia shuddered slightly. "Zero said something similar tonight."

"Maybe he was wronged by Britannia, too. I can only imagine what cost he had to pay."

* * *

"So you want me to go downstairs and open the door to a member of the Imperial Family, the very same people that we constantly have to rescue each other from?" C.C. asked flatly.

"I've already told you, Euphemia is different," Lelouch insisted, his weariness evident even through the cell phone. "I highly doubt she would've been privy to anything involving you, so there's no chance she'll recognize you."

"First Suzaku was different, now her. These exceptions are going to ruin you one day, Lelouch. They are weaknesses that you can't afford yourself for very long."

"You were different, too, and you still are."

"Flattery won't work on me, you know."

"Just make sure that Nunnally gets inside okay, and I'll bring you a pizza."

There was a pause, and then: "Extra cheese, pepperoni, and mushroom. And for every minute after 1 AM that you are late, you will owe me an additional pizza tomorrow."

The line going dead sounded like an agreement to her, so C.C. put down the phone and went downstairs, just in time to hear a car pulling up. Lelouch had a point about Euphemia, but there was always the possibility that Cornelia had brought her up to speed on a great deal of things.

Trying to seem as disinterested as possible (not that it was difficult for her), C.C. opened the rear door to find Third Princess Euphemia and Milly Ashford slowly pushing Nunnally up the wheelchair ramp.

Nunnally figured out who she was almost immediately, probably because C.C. offered no greeting. "Hello, C.C. We didn't wake you, did we?"

"No, I was on the phone," C.C. replied. "Your brother will be very late tonight, and asks that you not wait up for him."

It was terribly easy to see the disappointment in Nunnally's face, but only for an instant. "I see. Thank you for telling me."

"He can't be out gambling now, can he?!" Milly practically shouted.

"Lelouch... gambles?" Euphemia asked in surprise.

"Oh, well it's not so much of a gamble with him, and it's mostly things like chess, but it's the middle of the night! Plus, they should have a T.V. wherever he is, and he should know what happened to us by now! He should be here, waiting up for Nunnally, not the other way around!"

"He offered to bring pizza," C.C. added, as if that were a reasonable explanation.

"So what?!" Milly snapped.

"We like pizza," C.C. stated coldly.

Milly flinched. "Uh, right. Sorry."

"You may go now," C.C. answered, reaching over to take the handles of Nunnally's wheelchair. "I will see to Nunnally's needs and await the pizza. Oh, and Lelouch."

Milly gave her a funny look, but leaned down to give Nunnally a firm hug. "Nunnally, I-"

"Please stop apologizing, Milly," Nunnally interrupted. "It wasn't your fault. I'll be sure to tell Lelouch how you protected me. And thank you for inviting me tonight. It was... really unique."

Her eyes watering, Milly kissed the top of Nunnally's head and rushed back to Euphemia's car, determined not to let Nunnally hear her cry.

"I think she's going to blame herself for a while," Euphemia sighed. "That's a terrible burden to carry in her heart for any length of time."

"I wouldn't worry," Nunnally said confidently. "Milly is very resilient. That's why she's such a good leader. Even if she makes a mistake, she keeps striding forward and still manages to get the best results." She paused, her voice softening. "You... should probably be going as well, Your Highness."

Euphemia actually winced at the title. "I... yes, you're right. I wanted to wait for Lelouch, but..."

"Maybe another time?" Nunnally suggested.

"Yes. Definitely." Euphemia took Nunnally's hand, placing a soft kiss on the back of it.

"Why did you do that?" Nunnally whispered.

"Because tonight, I saw something, Nunnally. Tonight, I saw that you were more of a princess over the course of a few hours than I have been my entire life. And that's something I mean to change about myself immediately. Please tell Lelouch I'm very sorry that I missed him, and that I'll be back to visit very soon."

"Of course I will," Nunnally agreed, squeezing her hand. "Princess, I-"

"Please don't call me that anymore, Nunnally. At least, not until I can lawfully, rightfully say it back to you."

"That could be a long time, Euphie."

"I plan to be around," Euphemia said simply.

**End of Chapter 1.**

* * *

Endnotes:

From what I've read, a person can resist Geass a little if the order is completely against their nature. I don't imagine a soldier would be very useful if he were able to drop his weapon so easily. At least, that's how I saw it.

No, Yang wasn't originally among the JLF terrorists. But the only people able to be mean to Nunnally have been completely nuts, and I don't think the JLF was.

I was intrigued when Clovis and Cornelia both thought that Lelouch was dead. I began to wonder, was that just a simple lie they were told, or something reinforced by the Emperor's Geass? I would think that since Marianne died in an assassination, someone would get doubly suspicious when her kids turned up dead as well. And she seemed too well liked (by the few who did like her, anyway) not to deserve some sort of investigation. Cornelia doesn't seem like the type to just accept suspicious info as fact, no matter who it came from. So maybe she was forced to give up on the investigation, or merely stopped when she'd gotten confirmation of Lelouch and Nunnally's deaths through false memories of a funeral.

In retrospect, I'm uncertain if Lelouch's inability to command someone with Geass twice extends to those who have experienced another Geass power once already. For example, if the Emperor did edit Euphemia's memories, would Lelouch still be able to control her? I suspect the answer is actually yes now, due to the fact that Mao's Geass had no such limit on Lelouch (other than range). So it's more likely that it's a built-in weakness strictly for Lelouch's Geass. On the other hand, since people who use Geass grow in power, maybe it's even possible that someone who has it used on them repeatedly can develop a natural resistance to it.


	2. Art is the Thing

* * *

Notes: This chapter is much shorter than the first. Hope that's okay.

Chapter Summary: Euphemia is determined to be reunited with Lelouch, and goes about it, unknowingly, in the best possible way: by requesting permission to find Zero. Cornelia isn't happy with the new, assertive Euphemia, and they quickly find themselves in the unfamiliar roles of being on opposing sides. Nina transforms into an artistic butterfly, but she's obsessed with Euphemia, AND Zero.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Chapter 2: Art is the Thing**

* * *

Nunnally was awakened by the sensation of a brotherly kiss being placed on her forehead early the next morning. "Lelouch?" she murmured sleepily, reaching out for him automatically.

He caught her hand and placed a kiss there as well. "I heard you had a big night," Lelouch said softly.

"Yeah. It was really scary for a while," Nunnally admitted. "But I'm glad I was there."

"Are you?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"Euphemia was there. I didn't realize how much I missed her until then."

Lelouch sighed. "I'm sorry you two weren't able to be together in all this time. I'm afraid that's my fault."

"You were only doing your best to protect us," Nunnally disagreed. "Sometimes security has to come before happiness."

"It shouldn't have to. You deserve more happiness."

"I have enough for now," she replied, squeezing his hand. "I have you, Suzaku, C.C., and Miss Sayoko. And I might even have Euphemia soon. She promised that she wouldn't tell anyone about us, Lelouch, and I believe her."

"Just be careful, Nunnally," he whispered, hugging her tightly. "Euphemia may be our ally, but she's still on the wrong side."

* * *

"You're very quiet today, Euphie," Cornelia observed aloud. "You had plenty to say last night."

It took a great deal of willpower for Euphemia not to glare across the breakfast table at her older sister. The idea of being angry at Cornelia was not one that occurred to her often, but she was now keenly aware of just how much of her life was controlled by her sister, and she resented it.

"I was upset then, Cornelia, and I still am. Can you blame me?"

"No, of course not. You were under a great deal of stress. But try to relax, Euphie. I'm currently taking measures to ensure that nothing like that ever happens again."

"What sort of measures?" Euphemia asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"For one thing, cracking down on Elevens who insist on resorting to terrorism. First on that list is anyone with any connection to the JLF. I have lost all patience with those people."

Euphemia pressed her lips together hard, realizing again that both the terrorist Yang and her sister Nunnally had been right. Cornelia had only given the JLF her full attention when Euphemia was endangered. "Does that include Zero and the Black Knights?"

Cornelia paused for a moment, and then calmly continued sipping her tea. "I have decided to give them a reprieve, for now. I owe them that much for bringing you back to me safely. But once I'm done with the JLF, they're next."

Taking a deep breath, Euphemia mentally prepared herself and said what had been on her mind ever since the previous night. "I want to see all of the information you have on Zero."

There was a brief silence, and then Cornelia sighed. "No, you don't. Not only do we have precious little information on him, but what there is wouldn't be appropriate-"

"Perhaps I should decide what is and isn't appropriate for my eyes and ears from now on," Euphemia stated quietly.

"Really," Cornelia murmured, arching an eyebrow. "Suppose I disagree?"

"Then I suppose we will have to agree to disagree." Euphemia slid her chair back and stood up. "But I will get that information, Cornelia. Zero killed our brother, but he spared me. I have to know why, and I deserve to know. I won't be kept in the dark when I could be the next to die. If you really loved me, you'd give me everything I needed to be fully aware of the potential dangers I'll be facing. My being uninformed isn't protecting me, it's only making me twice as vulnerable."

"It's good to see you're growing up, Euphie," Cornelia said slowly, "and I'm sure you're ready to take on some additional responsibilities. But if you ever again question my love for you, or my sense of duty, I will not be so forgiving. I will not prevent you from accessing the information, but I won't help you obtain it, either. You'll just have to go through some other channels to get what you want."

Euphemia's eyes narrowed. The only way to get her hands on Cornelia's information was to go over her sister's head. But that meant her best bet was dealing with Schneizel, and he was far more likely to encourage Euphemia to solve this on her own. That really only left Euphemia with one choice, and it was even more unlikely to work.

"I trust we have an understanding now?" Cornelia asked, staring at her younger sister expectantly.

"It seems we do," Euphemia replied, and with that, she offered a polite nod and strode past Cornelia without another word.

"Where are you going?" Cornelia demanded, more than a little surprised that her sister hadn't backed down and apologized when given the chance to do so.

"Where else? To seek an audience with our father," Euphemia said without stopping. "At least I know he won't refuse me just to spite me."

Cornelia stared after her, lips curling into a frown. "I'll give you one last chance to make amends, Euphie," she muttered. "But after that, you truly will be on your own."

* * *

Milly hadn't known what she was getting into when she'd asked if there was any new business during the Student Council meeting.

"Wait, Nina's what?" Milly asked in shock, certain she'd heard Rivalz wrong.

"I told you, she's the new Art Club President," Rivalz repeated. "Except they aren't calling it the Art Club anymore. I heard that's the first thing she changed."

"So what are they calling it now?"

"The Artiste Society."

Milly just stared at Rivalz, and unfortunately for him, it was not in the way he'd always hoped it would be. On the other hand, he knew why she was so stunned, and he was a little concerned himself.

"Has anyone actually talked to Nina at all today?" Milly finally asked. It wasn't that she doubted Rivalz's information (indeed, despite his wild fantasies, his gossip was usually right on the money), but it was a bit hard to believe.

"I tried during lunch, but she said she was busy," Shirley offered. "She didn't look upset or anything, just..."

"Busy?" Milly guessed with a sigh.

"Well, yeah."

"Great. Anyone else?"

"Um, I did, Milly," Nunnally said softly.

Nunnally's presence in such a meeting was a common occurrence. Rivalz may have joked that she was an unofficial member, but in reality, they all took that quite seriously. In no way was Nunnally ever made to feel excluded by the Student Council, either because she was so well liked, or because Milly and Shirley had personally threatened anyone who'd ever even given the idea a first thought.

Truthfully, Milly had been relieved that Nunnally and Lelouch were in attendance today (and really, Nina's absence was the only oddity; Suzaku was frequently called away by the military). She was concerned that there would be hard feelings between them, but Lelouch was largely disinterested and silent as always, and he'd given no implication that he was angry with her.

"So what did you two talk about?" Rivalz asked.

"Nina asked Nunnally to be a model at their meeting tomorrow afternoon," Lelouch answered flatly. He didn't exactly look angry, but clearly the idea of so many people continuously staring at his sister bothered him.

This was met with complete silence.

Milly cleared her throat after a moment. "I take it Nunnally accepted?"

"It was too hard to say no," Nunnally murmured. "Nina was so excited about it, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings, after yesterday. She promised it wouldn't take more than forty-five minutes, and that I could bring any kind of music I wanted, so that I wouldn't get bored."

"I think it's a unique opportunity," Shirley commented. "And at least Nina's finally taking an interest in another school club! We shouldn't be treating this like it's a bad thing!"

"I didn't bring it up because it was bad," Rivalz protested. "I only said it because-"

"It's completely unlike the Nina we know," Milly concluded. "Which may not be a good thing. Lelouch, you are going with Nunnally tomorrow, right?"

"He wouldn't let me go without him," Nunnally teased, poking Lelouch in the arm as he scowled. "I just hope he doesn't ruin the portraits by scaring away all of the artists."

* * *

For most of her life, Nina Einstein had been little more than a wallflower. She had only joined the Student Council because everyone had seemed to expect it of her, plus Rivalz had begged shamelessly, which had been very flattering at the time. By the time she realized that Rivalz begged various girls on a weekly basis, for anything from pencils to the dubious honor of bearing his children, the novelty had worn off. But Milly refused to let her quit, since it would reflect badly on them in general and her in particular. So Nina had been playfully but insistently bullied into becoming friends with Milly and Shirley, as it was far easier to just agree and let them drag her along behind them.

That, of course, was the only reason she'd even been at the Lake Kawaguchi Hotel that fateful night, but now, Nina didn't regret that at all.

It had taken nearly losing her life to truly open her eyes, but she was wide awake now.

She recalled very clearly how Third Princess Euphemia had bravely saved her life.

But she also recalled, in great detail, how the terrifying Zero had delivered Nina and the rest of the hostages to safety, without allowing a single one to be harmed in any way.

And, to a lesser extent, she remembered how both Euphemia and Zero had fixated on Nunnally.

Nina didn't really understand the connection there, not completely. But after replaying the details of that night in her head several times, she had come to the conclusion (just as Euphemia had) that Zero was far too familiar with royalty to be an Eleven. He had to be a Britannian.

But Nina was amazed to realize that she didn't care about that very much. No matter what he was, he'd still saved her. She was even starting to think that she'd feel the same way if Zero had turned out to be an Eleven.

The moment she'd gotten home last night, Nina had dug up her old sketchpad. She could not say what had inspired this strange spark of creativity, but the next thing she knew, it was time to get up for school, and she'd filled over twenty pages with drawings of Zero and Euphemia.

Then Nina had accidentally dropped one of the drawings at school, right in front of an Art Club member. He'd taken one look and instantly told her that she was better than anyone in the club, and the others agreed once they'd seen her work. Before Nina realized what was happening, they'd elected her President of the Art Club. With no real idea what she was doing at first, she'd asked them to all draw more pictures of Zero and Euphemia. In one day, they'd covered the club's walls with the drawings, and were planning to move onto paintings next.

Although before they did that, Nina had realized that she had a rare opportunity to sketch someone who knew both Zero and Euphemia personally. The idea quickly became popular among the members, partially because everyone liked Nunnally, but mostly because about half of the members had crushes on Lelouch, who would no doubt be there when Nunnally posed for them. There was even talk of getting them to pose together, but Nina knew that wouldn't happen unless Lelouch liked what he saw. She'd done her best to make sure that everything was perfect, but Lelouch was notably hard to impress, as there were so few things that even interested him in the first place.

But Nina had noticed that Lelouch was one of the few students that hadn't openly disagreed with Zero or his tactics, and she felt reasonably sure that he was, in fact, a supporter of Zero, but was just too smart to admit that out loud. There would be no need to hide once he was among the Artiste Society, however. They had embraced Zero and the Black Knights in their quest for justice, and Lelouch was welcome to join in. Nina was even considering asking him to join up, if things went well enough.

* * *

Euphemia emerged from the meeting with her father with a vague sense of wonder.

Incredibly, he had agreed with nearly everything she'd said.

She now had permission to not only pursue Zero herself, but to commandeer as much of the Imperial Army as she needed to do so. Euphemia knew, however, that doing that would definitely earn her Cornelia's displeasure, so she had no intention of taking more than she absolutely needed.

Of course, she knew that this freedom would be short-lived at best. No one actually expected her to successfully capture Zero. It was far more likely that she'd get captured or killed in the attempt. But it wasn't as if she actually had any intention of handing him over to Imperial forces, and she felt reasonably sure that she'd have the chance to explain that to Zero. He took a certain pleasure in baiting her, so it was almost a sure thing that their paths would cross again in the near future.

But when that did happen, Euphemia needed to be ready.

That was why she'd gone straight to the Lancelot's testing site for the day, a sprawling underground complex with plenty of room for the white Knightmare to run free. Euphemia gave no one advance warning of her little visit. She'd merely stood by in silence as Lloyd Asplund put Suzaku through his paces. For an earl, Euphemia had always found the man quite amusing, despite his tendency to think of pilots as little more than machine components. Still, he wasn't prejudiced against Suzaku or Elevens, and that was a rare thing in this day.

Once the testing was done, Lloyd had somewhat politely (he at least made an attempt around Euphemia, which she appreciated) excused himself to review the data he'd collected. That meant when Suzaku finally climbed out of the Lancelot, the first person he saw was Euphemia.

A mixture of emotions passed through his face when he saw her: first shock, then disbelief, and finally joy, all in the space of a few seconds.

The next thing Euphemia knew, Suzaku had crossed the distance between them and enveloped her in a gentle but firm hug, as if he hadn't seen her in years. She was very startled, to be sure, but then she reminded herself that he hadn't seen her since the messy business at Lake Kawaguchi. But as pleasant as the embrace was, she did need to talk to him, and there was really only one way to do that. Smiling, she buried her face in his neck, slid her arms around his waist, and molded her body against his, fully returning the hug with a little something extra.

As she'd expected, Suzaku turned bright red, immediately detached himself, and dropped to one knee. "Please forgive my forwardness, Your Highness," he murmured, unable to look her in the eyes. "I-I was concerned about you, and when I saw that you were safe..."

"Don't worry, Suzaku," Euphemia giggled. "I was only teasing you. But next time, please ask if you want to hug me. I want to be able to give something so important my full attention."

Suzaku turned even redder as he bowed his head. "As you command, Your High-"

"Oh, stop that!" she laughed, lightly smacking his shoulder. "Please stand up, as I don't feel like talking to the top of your head."

He jerked to his feet at once.

"Suzaku," Euphemia sighed, "I certainly hope you don't treat all of your other friends this stiffly. Please relax, or I'm going to get the impression that Earl Asplund is right about you being a machine part. And I make it a habit never to hug robots."

Although he looked terribly embarrassed, Suzaku's only response was to nod, a bit more naturally than she'd expected.

"Good! Now, seeing as you were so worried about me, I think I have the perfect job for you!" Euphemia slipped her hand into his and began dragging him away from the Lancelot.

"But, Princess, you know that I'm already-"

"Don't worry, you'll just be traveling a bit more, and you'll be with me. I'm sure we'll work something out, what with you being my new personal Knight and all."

Suzaku stopped short. "I... I'm what?" he asked softly, his eyes wide with shock.

Euphemia beamed at him. "What's wrong? You don't think you'll be able to keep your hands off of me long enough to do that?"

"Of course not! Wait, I mean-"

"So you're agreeing?" she asked eagerly.

"With which part?" he murmured uncertainly.

"Either."

He opened his mouth, closed it, and finally sighed. "I'll do whatever you want."

"That's the spirit!" she cheered, clapping her hands. "The first thing we need to do is get you out of those clothes."

Suzaku gaped at her. "Your Highness!" he practically squeaked.

"Don't worry, I'll find you another set, eventually. We just can't go around advertising who we are for what we'll be doing. It would make tracking down Zero much more difficult. And don't tell me it's too dangerous!" she added, spotting the look on his face. "Not only do I have complete faith in your abilities, I'm also ninety-five percent sure that Zero has no interest in harming me."

"But, Your Highness, I don't think-"

"That's right, you don't. You do what I tell you from now on, and if you're quick about it, I might even hug you first next time."

He stared at her closely. "Forgive me for saying so, but you seem... different today. More-"

"Pushy?" Euphemia guessed.

"Spirited."

"I like 'pushy' better, myself. Now, you really should change. You have to look presentable when you introduce me to your principal."

It took a moment for Suzaku to realize what she was asking of him. "You want me to take you to my school? But why?"

She gave him a flat stare. "A good Knight immediately does as he is commanded, without questioning his orders. That's twice now that you've questioned my orders, Suzaku. If I had knighted you publicly, and I was any other princess, you could be executed on the spot."

The color drained out of his face.

"Of course, I would never do that," Euphemia went on, patting his cheek gently. "But I hope you understand now how serious being a Knight is. Now, are you going to take me to Ashford Academy, or do I have to withhold hugging privileges?"

* * *

"This is boring," Lelouch grumbled into his sister's hair.

Nunnally giggled and tightened her grip on his neck ever so slightly. "Lelouch, you promised you'd behave for me."

Sighing, Lelouch shifted his weight and readjusted his grip on Nunnally. She wasn't heavy at all, but with her sitting in his lap for so long, his legs kept falling asleep, and he was only allowed so much room to work with. It was his fault for agreeing to pose with Nunnally, he knew, but he hadn't expected her to pout to get him to agree.

"Lelouch, you moved your arm down again," Nina pointed out with a frown.

He glared at her, but returned his left arm to the original position of being wrapped around Nunnally's back. Lelouch wasn't so much bored as he was simply annoyed. He could keep himself busy by reviewing his many plans for the Black Knights and his Geass. But it was a little hard to silently plan a revolution when most of the girls in the room were ogling him.

Lelouch's gaze drifted back to the sketches pinned to the walls. They were all pretty good, although maybe he was just impressed by the subjects. Each sketch was of Zero, Euphemia, or both. It was easy to pick out Nina's: aside from the "N.E." scrawled in the bottom left corners, they were the best. Although in her eyes, Zero was usually sporting leathery bat wings, and Euphemia had the wings of a bird.

"So do we get wings?" Lelouch asked, watching Nina's face closely.

"Of course not," Nina replied without looking up from her sketchpad. "You don't have them now, do you?"

"Are you being silly again, Lelouch?" Nunnally asked. "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't take much longer."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have anyone sitting on you," he complained.

"You're very comfortable," Nunnally assured him.

"You're not helping."

* * *

Suzaku and Euphemia walked out of the Ashford Academy principal's office later that afternoon, totally unaware that they were being closely observed.

Cornelia ground her teeth together as she watched her sister laugh and take the soldier's hand, in a way that seemed far too familiar. Euphemia had always lacked a certain amount of common sense, but this was bordering on outright defiance of not only the Imperial Family, but Cornelia herself. How many times had she told Euphemia not to associate with commoners, especially not foreigners? What good was all of that private schooling she'd had if she hadn't even learned the basics of being royalty?

Despite what she was seeing, Cornelia did her best to remain calm. She had her orders, after all, unusual as it was for her to be commanded to do anything. But when the Emperor chose to address someone, even through a brief note, it was both insanity and treason not to listen. And what he'd had to say about Euphemia and her latest pursuit had definitely captured Cornelia's attention.

At first, Cornelia had been almost proud that Euphemia was trying to find Zero, and was even considering ignoring the disrespect that her sister had shown earlier, all in the name of avenging their fallen brother Clovis. But now, the Emperor's words, and what Cornelia had seen with her own eyes, were both telling her that Euphemia was less concerned with what had happened to Clovis, and more focused on making an Honorary Britannian her new boyfriend. And if either of them managed to get a lead on Zero, it would only be through sheer dumb luck.

"You're making a big mistake, Euphie," Cornelia sighed. "But I'll be the one to correct you. If I have to be harsh with you in order to make the lesson stick, so be it. Perhaps we'll see just how much punishment your friend can endure before he curses the day you walked into his life."

* * *

"I can't believe he's not here," Suzaku said for the third time, frowning at the empty chair across the table from him.

"Lelouch has been getting home later and later recently," Nunnally admitted hesitantly. "But he usually calls to tell me that much, or sends a message through our friends. I'm sure he knew we had dinner plans with you, Suzaku, so I don't think that he forgot. That isn't like Lelouch."

"It's me," Euphemia said sadly, lowering her head. "I'm the reason he's not here..."

"Why would you think that?" Suzaku asked, taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Why wouldn't he want to see you?"

"What other reason could he possibly have for not being here? I'm the only person that wasn't expected. He must still be angry about-"

"Lelouch would never blame you for what happened," Nunnally interrupted. "We know you loved our mother. You're the only person from the Imperial Family that he ever spoke fondly of after we came here."

Euphemia's eyes began to water. "Why did you say 'the Imperial Family' and not 'our family,' Nunnally?"

Suzaku winced. "I'm sure she only meant that-"

"Lelouch is the only family I have now, Euphie," Nunnally replied softly. "He reminded me of that today. I only called you my sister earlier because I was still clinging to the past. But it'll be a long time before I can safely call you that again, if ever. I still love you, and I'm sure Lelouch does, too. But so long as you're a member of the Imperial Family in good standing, we aren't related."

"I've never heard you say anything so cold, Nunnally," Suzaku said, shaking his head slowly. "Is that really what Lelouch told you?"

"No, Suzaku. This is what the world taught me, the day it stole my mother, my sight, my legs, and my home. I've survived only on Lelouch's love and the kindness of friends like you. But when I go to sleep tonight, I'll do it here, hidden and safe. Euphie, on the other hand, will go back to the very same people that allowed my mother to die in their midst, and then exiled Lelouch and I for daring to question why. You have no idea how that makes me feel. And I don't know what I should fear more: that the same thing might happen to Euphie, or that it won't because she's already one of them. These are thoughts I never would've had when my mother was alive, but they're all I have now. It makes me never want to open my eyes and see what this world has become. Now, I must ask you both to please leave. I'm starting to understand why Lelouch chose not to attend, and I wish I'd had the foresight to do the same. Please go, before we hurt each other any more than we already have."

* * *

"You're hiding."

"Shut up, C.C." Lelouch hissed as he carefully peered out of the window of his bedroom.

She sighed. "This is utterly childish, Lelouch. You look like a fool. Get off of the floor."

"The point of hiding," Lelouch growled, "is to not be found."

"But they're leaving now. I can see them walking away."

"They could always come back, especially after the way they left. Nunnally surprised us all tonight."

C.C. flopped across his bed and made a point of poking his ribs with the toe of her boot. "I still don't understand why you were afraid to meet with the princess. She didn't seem imposing at all to me. It would've been simple to disarm her."

Lelouch looked at her in disgust. "Are you mad? Euphie can't fight!"

"Well, that's my point. She'd be easy to disarm."

"She doesn't carry weapons! I doubt she's ever even touched a gun!"

"All you're doing is reinforcing my point, Lelouch."

"No, you're missing the point! Euphie is completely harmless, and she'd be disarmed if you TOLD her she was disarmed! Why would you even need to-"

"If you don't want her hurt, you care about her. If you cared about her, you would've gone to dinner. Now she just thinks that you hate her. Boys are idiots, you especially."

"If it keeps us all safe for another day, it was worth any pain I've caused. Besides, I'm not ready to face her yet. I need a strategy to distract her. No doubt she'll come up with some worthless plan to try and get Nunnally and I reinstated, or worse."

"Kiss her," C.C. said immediately.

Lelouch frowned at her. "What?"

"Kiss her. She wouldn't know what to do, then."

"Why would I kiss her?"

"Why, indeed. She won't know, and she'll need oodles of time to figure it out. It's a perfect plan."

Lelouch gawked at her. "Did you just say 'oodles,' C.C.?"

"Focus, Lelouch. You said you wanted to distract her."

He smirked. "Maybe if I told her I had oodles of hatred for Britannia."

She glared at him. "Shut up."

**End of Part 2.**

* * *

Endnotes:

I'm trying out a new direction with Nina. You could call it an attempt to salvage or reinvent her character. As for why, that'll be important later, but I bet some of you can guess already.

The Emperor is a bit more involved than he usually would be at this point. But there is a reason for it.

Nunnally probably came across as being a bit harsh, but Euphemia isn't the only one that needs to mature. Lelouch being protective of Nunnally is no excuse for not educating her to the dangers of associating with their former family, especially now that Euphie is being observed by Cornelia.


	3. Zero's Ace at Ashford

* * *

Notes: I notice some people still expect this to play out exactly like canon. But with this chapter, that really becomes impossible. Not that I planned to do that anyway. Oh, a note on Kallen: I forgot about her. Yes, really. So I've jammed her in the story, and I have a realistic excuse as to why she wasn't at school: um, it's SCHOOL, and she didn't want to be there, especially not with Britannians. But she WAS there at one point (so they have her records), she just "got sicker" (read: stopped going in order work on her mad Knightmare skillz). You can accept that, yes?

Chapter Summary: Kallen gets an undercover assignment from Zero. Lelouch plays "Hide and Seek" with Euphemia and Suzaku. Nunnally befriends a Knight, although neither of them realizes it. Nina meets one of her idols. Lelouch's secret is exposed, sort of.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 3: Zero's Ace at Ashford**

* * *

Kallen Kozuki was one of a very small number of women in Ohgi's resistance group, but that had never bothered her. The moment they'd realized she was easily the best Knightmare pilot among them, they'd stopped treating her like a little girl. Now it was no surprise when Ohgi saved the most difficult missions for her, because she was willing to do anything to free Japan from Britannian control.

Then Zero had come, and everything had changed. Suddenly, they were the Black Knights, and it was no longer just about freeing Japan, but freeing everyone considered weak and trapped in a corner. Kallen didn't really have a problem with that, either: the more allies they made, the easier it would be to take back Japan in the end. But Zero had completely disrupted the chain of command. There was no obvious rank, except that Zero was in charge, and he sometimes discussed his strategy with Ohgi ahead of time. And since Kallen generally stuck to Ohgi like glue, she was usually, but not always, in on such things.

Perhaps Zero hadn't been with them long enough to recognize her talents, or maybe he had a problem with a woman being among the elite. But Kallen had no intention of losing her spot, even if it meant getting right in Zero's masked face and telling him how it was going to be. After all, she knew she was too valuable to kill, and even if Zero didn't, the others would instantly turn on him if he tried anything underhanded.

With her mind made up, Kallen had no doubts about marching up to Zero's Sutherland that day, where he and Ohgi were discussing something over what looked like a set of blueprints. To her surprise, Zero lifted his head in her direction as she approached.

"Ah, Q-1. Just the soldier I was looking for."

Kallen couldn't help the tingle of pleasure that ran up her spine. Zero was looking for her! And he didn't see her as a girl, or a woman, but a soldier! She quickly schooled her face into a calm stare, especially when she noticed that Ohgi was doing his best not to laugh. Had she really been that obvious?

"I have an assignment just for you," Zero went on. "But first, tell me your age."

She blinked, realizing with some amusement that this might be the only time she wasn't tempted to lie to a man about her age. She had a feeling that Zero would be able to tell if she was lying, and it was probably vital for the mission, anyway. "I'm seventeen, Zero."

"As I thought, you're perfect for the infiltration. I know I can trust you not to fail me. Ohgi tells me that you're one of his best operatives."

Kallen shot him a brief look of thanks, but Ohgi missed it: he was too busy covering his mouth with his hand, almost as if trying to hold back laughter. "What do you need me to do?"

"You," Zero said simply, "are going to school."

"What?!" Kallen snapped, instantly losing her temper. "Dammit, Ohgi! I told you that I wasn't going back to that stupid academy with a bunch of spoiled Britannian brats! Who do you think-"

"Those spoiled Britannian brats have easy access to information that a Japanese student would be hard-pressed to obtain. I need you there, Q-1, because I already have a plant in the school, but he can't continue to go it alone. You will make contact and assist him in his mission."

Her eyes widened. "Wait! You said... then he's Britannian?!"

"Yes, and as such, he has experienced the cruelty of that corrupt empire firsthand. Surely you, being half-Britannian yourself, can appreciate that?"

Kallen winced, wishing Ohgi had left out that part about her. "Yes, but-"

Zero placed his hand on her shoulder. "I realize it won't be easy or even to your liking. But you are the only one who can do this, Q-1... no, Kallen. I need you to be my eyes and ears at Ashford Academy. My man on the inside is talented, but tends to attract far too much attention. You will be able to move about much more freely, with the proper cover story."

"So how will I know him, Zero?" she finally asked, resigning herself to this. If Zero needed her, and was giving her a chance to prove herself, she couldn't refuse.

"You only need to look for, as I said, someone who has experienced Britannia's cruelty. Trust me, you'll know my agent before the end of your first day."

"Don't forget to pack your lunch," Ohgi chimed in gleefully, earning a dark glare as Kallen stomped off.

* * *

"You're not really going to run around campus looking for Lelouch all day, are you?"

Euphemia ignored Suzaku's question and continued to walk quickly through the building, stopping to peer into every room they came across.

Suzaku sighed and simply kept up with her, already knowing the answer. After searching each of the places at school that Lelouch was known to frequent with no luck, they'd started looking everywhere else. It had only taken ten minutes for Suzaku to admit to himself that this was no longer just bad luck. Lelouch was actively hiding from Euphemia, and so was Nunnally, for that matter. No one had seen either of them, nor did anyone seem concerned about their absence. It was almost as if the two siblings were expected to be missing that day.

It was only after they passed the cafeteria for the third time that Suzaku finally grasped Euphemia's shoulder and brought her to a stop. "This isn't going to work, Euphie. If Lelouch is going to the trouble of hiding both himself and Nunnally from you, then we'll never find them this way."

"Then what do you suggest, Suzaku?" Euphemia asked, clearly starting to lose her temper.

"You'll only meet with him on his terms. We need to find out what he wants. I think we'll have to split up."

"Why?" she demanded at once.

"Because Lelouch wouldn't hide from me. I'll talk to him for you. All we're doing right now is wasting time. Why don't you go wait in the principal's office? You shouldn't run into any trouble there."

"It's just school, and I can handle myself-"

Suzaku gently grasped her hands. "Euphie. Please. I know you want to see Lelouch very badly, and I promise that you will. But you have to trust me. I can physically drag Lelouch to you if all else fails, but that will only happen if I find him first. I can't do that if I don't know that you're somewhere safe. So will you please go to the principal's office and wait for me?"

"Fine," Euphemia agreed reluctantly. "But don't take too long, Suzaku. It isn't fair that everyone but me gets to see him."

Suzaku sighed as Euphemia turned and walked away. "I'm starting to miss the old Euphie. She was never this stubborn."

"Perhaps she learned it from you," said a familiar voice in his ear.

His eyes went wide as two feminine arms slipped around his chest, embracing him from behind. He didn't dare move, as he'd recognized the voice as that of the mysterious green-haired girl from Shinjuku.

"Don't do anything too suspicious, people can see us. And I've decided that you two are far more trouble than you're worth," C.C. stated, resting her chin on his shoulder. "But Lelouch insists that you are useful still, so I will leave you with a warning. If you endanger our plans, I may have to harm you. I was labeled as poison gas for reason, you know."

"What do you want from me?" Suzaku breathed.

"Nothing. But Lelouch advises you to keep your princess on a shorter leash, and that you bring her to this location at the designated time." C.C. slipped a folded note into his pocket. "You both need to be more careful. They were bound to be watching each of you individually, so you'll be under three times as much surveillance, now that you're together. Remind the princess of that the next time she decides to visit, two days in a row, having taken few precautions to move about undetected. She may not be interested in hiding from them, but the rest of us are."

Suzaku was about to ask a question when he was shoved hard from behind. By the time he regained his balance and spun around, C.C. was nowhere to be found. "She's running errands for Lelouch now?" he murmured, frowning. "What is he up to?"

* * *

She hadn't even finished her first day back at school, and already Kallen had the beginnings of a serious headache. It was bad enough that she had to put up with brainless bimbos poking their noses into her business, as well as horny boys eyeing her like a piece of meat. But on top of that, she'd seen no one that matched Zero's description of having experienced Britannia's cruelty.

Well, except Suzaku Kururugi, but he couldn't possibly be Zero's man, as he was far too stupid to realize Zero had a much better chance of freeing Japan than he did.

Nobody seemed to have any visible scars at all, for that matter, and why would they? Britannians were so incredibly sheltered compared to the Japanese, and Kallen knew that better than most. She could think of no better way for an entire people to experience life's worst hardships than to lose a war. Even slaves like Suzaku had some value to Britannia, but Numbers weren't even human in the eyes of the empire.

Kallen knew that with a little effort, she could easily partake in the luxuries that most Britannians enjoyed. But that was why she fought so hard: for everyone that didn't have that choice, but deserved it all the same. She knew what it felt like to be weak, and it was something she would only wish on her worst enemies. To be so weak that you had no control over your own life was just like being dead, in her eyes.

Unfortunately, there was some value in being weak, or being seen as weak, in Kallen's case. Twice now she had "wandered" into restricted areas, only to be gently escorted out by concerned faculty members that knew of her prolonged illness. She loathed the pitying looks they sent her way, but it was all part of her disguise, so she had to put up with it. Zero had been right: no one would ever suspect her of any wrongdoing, thanks to her condition. But she still hadn't located his agent, and it was really starting to annoy her. It shouldn't have been so difficult to spot someone that had been crushed under Britannia's boot. Considering the sheer military might of the empire, that person would be lucky to be walking at all.

That last thought had barely crossed Kallen's mind when she walked out of the library, glanced to the left, the right, and then did a double-take.

Moving casually across the campus lawn was a young man, clad in the expected black uniform with gold trim. He was smiling, which shouldn't have been odd, but it certainly looked odd on him, as if he hadn't had reason to do so in several years. Kallen might've stopped paying attention there, except when her gaze moved down the boy's arms, she found that his hands were attached to the back of a wheelchair. In that wheelchair was a young girl who clearly couldn't walk, and that was what set off the alarm bells in Kallen's head.

Some of the other students had come off as nice or even friendly, but Kallen had felt no real warmth from them, either because there was none, or because she wouldn't allow herself to feel any with a Britannian. Yet there was nothing but warmth with this pair. There seemed to be a permanent smile on the girl's face, and when the boy reached down to brush a loose strand of hair out of her face, she grasped his hand and pressed it to her cheek. It was such a small thing to Kallen, but she could see that it meant the world to both of them. She felt bad for ruining the moment, but she was almost convinced that she'd found Zero's man.

"Excuse me!" she called, waving slightly as she approached them (she had to remind herself not to run too fast for a sick girl).

Curiously, the boy's face seemed to close up as he looked at her, the smile being replaced by a thin line that was about as inviting as razor blade. Kallen very nearly changed her mind, but wouldn't allow herself to be scared off by a mere look.

"I'm sorry, but could you tell me where the Student Council usually meets?" Kallen asked, offering a hesitant smile. "I'm supposed to talk to Milly there later, but I forgot to ask where it is, and I guess she just assumed I remembered..."

The boy was about to open his mouth, but the girl in the wheelchair cut him off. "We can do better than tell her, can't we, Lelouch?"

He blinked and gave Kallen something resembling a patient smile. "I guess we can. Lelouch and Nunnally Lamperouge, at your service."

"Oh, I didn't mean to be any trouble," Kallen said quickly. "You two are busy, right? If you just give me directions, I'm sure I can-"

"It's not a problem," Lelouch interrupted. "Nunnally likes the fresh air, and we weren't going to class today, anyway, Miss...?"

"Kallen Stadtfeld. I used to be a student here, but I had to stop attending because of my illness. But I guess I recently lucked into a bit of better health, so here I am again."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kallen," Nunnally said warmly.

Kallen couldn't help staring a little, as she finally noticed a little detail that had escaped her attention initially: Nunnally hadn't opened her eyes the entire time. "Um, nice to meet you, too, Nunnally." Upon realizing that Nunnally most likely wouldn't see it if she were to bow, Kallen began to reach for the girl's hand. She was a little surprised when Nunnally's hand rose to meet hers, barely missing grasping it at all. "How did you...?"

"You just sound like the kind of person who shakes hands," Nunnally replied with a small smile.

Kallen must have looked very puzzled, because Lelouch added, "My sister is blind, Kallen."

Her eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorr-"

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't your fault, Kallen," Nunnally said, her smile not dimming in the least as she gave Kallen's hand a light squeeze.

"I-It's just that I didn't realize," Kallen stammered, her cheeks glowing. "I'm so embarrassed..."

Nunnally gave her hand another squeeze. "Don't be embarrassed, be our friend!"

"It isn't something you would think to ask if you'd never met Nunnally before," Lelouch explained. "So it's not as if we could or would blame you for not knowing. Besides, you asked us for directions, so it's like an indirect compliment."

"But it's lucky Lelouch was with me when you asked, Kallen, or I might've gotten us both lost trying to show you the way," Nunnally giggled.

Kallen laughed weakly, wishing she could escape, but Nunnally was still holding onto her hand, and she didn't want to seem rude by pulling it away. Lelouch looked like the type to take such a thing (and indeed, most things, period) rather personally. He was probably only being as nice as he was because Nunnally was around.

"We'd better get moving," Lelouch said. "Milly won't mind if Kallen is late, but she'll think I was purposely trying to hold up the meeting."

"Wait, you're on the Student Council, too?" Kallen asked in growing horror. This was just getting worse by the minute.

"Even worse: I'm the Vice President. Don't worry, it's not nearly as exhausting as some of the other clubs, and you could probably get out of most duties by saying you were with Nunnally."

"But that would be dishonest," Kallen murmured.

"Not if you really were with me, and you were," Nunnally pointed out. "It wouldn't be lying if we were together most of the time. That's even more reason for us to be friends!"

"Just agree with her or you'll never get your hand back, Kallen," Lelouch advised.

"I would've let her go, eventually," Nunnally protested lightly as she finally released Kallen. "I just know a good friend when I hear one, and I didn't want you scaring her off, Lelouch."

He made a show of rolling his eyes as he started pushing Nunnally's wheelchair again, trusting that Kallen would follow. "Anyway, what were we talking about before?"

"Chess," Nunnally answered. "You were talking about opening moves."

"Right. Now, one of my favorites is knight to C6, which is-"

"Lelouch," Nunnally interrupted, "you do know that I don't have a chessboard imprinted on my brain? I really have no idea what space you're talking about."

Kallen stared at him blankly as he tried to explain to Nunnally what he meant. Lelouch had just uttered "knight to C6," which was of course the code phrase Zero had given her. He hadn't met her gaze at all, though, so while it was possible that it was just a coincidence, Kallen didn't think so. But it was still hard to imagine that Lelouch could be an undercover agent for Zero. After all, his sister was blind and confined to a wheelchair, so surely a large portion of his time was devoted to looking after her. On the other hand, no one would ever suspect him for that very same reason, so it really was ingenious.

She kept quiet as Lelouch and Nunnally went back and forth. Lelouch seemed to be of the opinion that one day, a dangerous kidnapper would snatch Nunnally and force her into a game of chess at gunpoint. Nunnally tended to think that if someone was going to go to the trouble of kidnapping her, they'd at least have the decency not to expect her to play a game that relied so heavily on sight. Lelouch said she was being silly, which made her laugh for nearly ten minutes straight.

By the time they finally reached the Student Council meeting room, Kallen was certain they'd forgotten about her entirely. The two siblings had slipped into their own little world again, where nothing mattered but the simple joy they experienced just by being in each other's presence. That's what she thought, at least, until Lelouch tried to blame their being late on her. Although considering the fierce look that Milly gave him, she could definitely understand why he'd want to shift the blame to anyone else.

* * *

"Am I going to be allowed in a Student Council meeting?" Euphemia asked as she followed Suzaku down the long hallway.

"I don't know, but Lelouch is bound to be there," Suzaku replied flatly. He was still very tense after his meeting with C.C., and he knew that this was going against everything she'd told him. But Euphemia had given him a kicked puppy look when he'd started to suggest that they try again tomorrow, and Suzaku had not quite perfected the art of refusing the Third Princess. And what could Lelouch really do in front of all their friends, anyway? Pout?

Then again, if Nunnally was present as well, Suzaku had a feeling that a single tear from her would defeat him and Euphemia both. But surely even Lelouch was not so diabolical as to sic his little sister on them. At least, that was what Suzaku desperately hoped.

"I'm really nervous all of a sudden, Suzaku," Euphemia admitted softly. "I've wanted this for so long, and now I don't what to do. What are you going to say if they ask who I am?"

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll just tell everyone that I know you from work. That's true enough, and Cecile has come to fetch me before, so I doubt they'll question someone from the military accompanying me around school. Everyone knows I have some 'special circumstances,' and this is just more of that. Besides, I doubt anyone that doesn't know you personally will recognize you."

Euphemia hoped he was right. She'd only put on some glasses and styled her hair into a long braid. True, it was something she'd never done in the palace or when making public appearances, but her confidence was shaky at best right now. Ironically, Lelouch had always been the one to encourage her when they were children, and now he was the one making Euphemia doubt herself. Not for the first time, she realized just how dangerous an enemy Lelouch would be if he ever decided to oppose Britannia directly. While she had believed him dead for years, some small part of her had always feared that he was alive, plotting to avenge his mother's death by destroying the Imperial Family.

She was about to force those thoughts away, but it became a moot point as Suzaku led her into a meeting room. Euphemia had no time to prepare herself as she stepped in and spotted Lelouch sitting near the window, a rather bored expression on his face, with Nunnally right next to him.

For a moment, Euphemia completely forgot how to breathe. Lelouch, her long lost brother and best friend, was alive and right in front of her. And from the look of it, if he had the luxury of being bored, then hatred and revenge had not consumed him as she'd feared.

An instant later, Lelouch flicked his violet gaze up to her face, and with that simple motion, Euphemia suddenly recalled how to breathe. Only now she forgot how to do it quietly and at the usual speed. Tears pooled up in the corners of her eyes as she struggled to maintain her composure, but it was an uphill battle that she had little to no chance of winning. She was only seconds away from bolting across the room and flinging herself bodily at Lelouch when something actually did stop her.

Lelouch moved his gaze away, and briefly passed his thumb over his lips.

"Our little secret, Euphie," murmured a voice in her head, "and this will be our signal."

It had been years, but it was something that Euphemia either would not or could not forget as long as she lived. Shaking her head slightly, she brushed the tears from her eyes and sat down beside Suzaku, aware that she was getting some odd looks. Thankfully, the Student Council President snapped at everyone when she realized they weren't listening, quickly regaining their attention.

Euphemia snuck another glance at Lelouch, but he seemed a little preoccupied with the redhead on the other side of Nunnally. Still, there was a small, pleased smile on his face that definitely hadn't been there before. Feeling an almost childish sense of glee flow through her, Euphemia relaxed and slipped her hand into Suzaku's. She could be calm, for now. But the moment she got Lelouch alone, she was going to hug him until he was on the brink of suffocation.

* * *

Outwardly, Lelouch was smiling. Inwardly, he was seething.

Suzaku and Euphemia had completely defied him. Well, that was wrong. It was all Euphemia, because clearly Suzaku had no way of controlling her. That was really not too surprising, but it still irked him that his instructions had been ignored entirely.

Even more frustrating, Lelouch knew his anger, however righteous, wouldn't last. He could never stay mad at Euphemia, even if she deserved it. Nunnally came first in his heart above all things, but Euphemia ranked just after her, and for good reason. She had been Nunnally's first playmate, and the only sibling to never even notice that their mother was of common birth. She had been the first to comfort Nunnally after their mother's assassination (Lelouch had been too busy throwing things, still reeling from the idea that he'd lost both his mother and the privilege of ever looking into Nunnally's eyes again). Those things alone would've won Euphemia a permanent place in his heart, but on top of all that, she genuinely adored him and never hesitated to show it.

But Euphemia's presence at Ashford could only be a bad thing. One of the few consistently negative things about Euphemia was that her older sister was never far behind. The thought of Cornelia discovering them here was disastrous at the very least. It was hard to say what she would do exactly, only that it would surely be detrimental to their health, if not fatal. If Euphemia had believed they were dead, then Cornelia might very well try to make the reality match up with her false memories, whether she wanted to or not. There was no telling what Geass command had been used on Euphemia, or even if Cornelia were under the influence of the same one. That was exactly why Lelouch hadn't wanted to risk encountering either of them until he'd put certain safeguards in place. He couldn't use his own Geass on Euphemia again, so he would have to ply her with his natural charm, something that had never been too difficult. But there was no choice with Cornelia: Geass was the only way she wouldn't report his and Nunnally's existence to anyone else.

But the more immediate problem was getting Euphemia to realize just how dangerous their being together was, without completely alienating her. She could be a valuable ally if she were more careful, and Lelouch honestly didn't want to hurt her, or cause problems with Suzaku by doing so. But she needed to be reprimanded, however gently, for this mistake. A few days apart was the best solution: it would give Lelouch time to relocate Nunnally if necessary, and to improve his defenses around the school. Already he had used his Geass on practically every teacher, as well as the students who gossiped the most. They would inform him if anyone from the military, Imperial Family, or someone who just looked suspicious, set foot onto the campus. He was still reluctant to do the same with his friends, but Milly was the only one he could count on, as she alone knew his true identity.

There was also the problem of what to do with Nunnally. Odd as it sounded, Lelouch didn't want to risk her losing her temper with Euphemia again. Fortunately, it wouldn't be too strange if he asked Kallen to take her somewhere and keep an eye on her. He could pass it off as Nunnally giving her a tour (the look on Kallen's face alone would be priceless, and Nunnally would appreciate the chance to get to know her new friend).

* * *

Suzaku was very impressed. Once the meeting ended, Lelouch managed to get ten feet away from the room before Euphemia tackled him. And since Lelouch had all the athletic inclination of a wounded marshmallow, it spoke volumes about how much he had wanted to avoid such a scene in public. Thankfully, he'd managed to duck around a corner just in time, otherwise Suzaku would've spent the rest of the day fighting off Lelouch's horde of angry fangirls.

"I found you!" Euphemia proclaimed happily, rubbing her cheek against Lelouch's like a rather large housecat as she hugged him.

Lelouch laughed weakly. "You haven't changed at all, Euphie."

"Neither have you. It always took me forever to find you when we played this game. I swear sometimes you stopped yourself from breathing just to drive me crazy!"

"Nothing so clever as that, I'm afraid. Mostly I fell asleep waiting for you to find me, and it just so happened that I didn't snore."

Euphemia's eyes watered as she stared at his face. "Oh, Lelouch... I missed you so much." And before either Lelouch or Suzaku could stop her, she grabbed the sides of his head, lurched forward, and kissed him firmly on the lips.

Suzaku was uncertain what he found to be the greater injustice: that he had to watch Euphemia kiss someone else, or that the someone else appeared to be fighting with everything he had to get away.

The moment Euphemia released him, Lelouch sucked in a huge amount of air, his face nearly blue. "Euphie," he gasped, his violet eyes wide, "why...?"

"I just love you, Lelouch," she replied solemnly, and Suzaku found himself wiping away a tear.

"Yes, well... could you love me a little less next time? I almost passed out."

"You never used to mind so much."

Suzaku almost flung himself at Lelouch in a jealous rage, but regained his composure just in time to ask hoarsely, "This happened often when you were young?"

"Far too often," Lelouch sighed, never realizing how close he was to death by being hurled headfirst into a wall. "I wish you two had listened to me before. This is incredibly dangerous for Nunnally and I. Someone from the military has to be following you."

"How can you be so sure?" Suzaku countered. "Lloyd doesn't care where I go as long as I show up for work, and this isn't the first time Euphemia has gone out on her own. Why are you so certain that we've made a mistake?"

"Don't even attempt to grow a brain on me, Suzaku," Lelouch snapped, his eyes narrowing. "I've been running for my life a little longer than you have. Let me remind you two that this is my life on the line, and Nunnally's as well. I won't let anything jeopardize them. Nothing is more important than Nunnally's safety." He turned his glare on Euphemia. "Nothing. So if you expect to be part of our lives, we do this my way from now on. No more showing up in highly public places for teary reunions. No more visiting us two days in a row. I'll tell you when we can make contact from now on."

"That's fine," Euphemia said before Suzaku could protest. "So long as I get to see you two, I don't care how."

Lelouch's eyes softened somewhat as he looked at her. "It was good to see you again, Euphie. I'm only harsh with you because I must be to survive. But I'm doing this for your safety as well. You both need to be more aware of who you are and who might be watching you at any given moment. If I had learned that lesson earlier, perhaps I'd still have my mother. I don't want either of you to suffer so great a loss, so start thinking with your heads, instead of your hearts. Everyone else in Britannia does."

"That's not true, Lelouch," Suzaku argued.

"It's true enough. Play by my rules, or don't play at all. It's up to you." With that, Lelouch turned and walked away, seeming to grow more and more tense with each step.

"Why did you agree to his terms?" Suzaku asked.

"Because he's right. I only even found out they were alive because I was told by..." Euphemia's eyes widened, and she sagged against Suzaku as her legs gave out beneath her.

"Euphie?! What's wrong?" Suzaku asked in alarm as he held her tight.

"Z-Zero," she breathed, tears spilling from her eyes. "He's..."

"What? Where?!" Suzaku demanded, his head whipping back and forth as he searched the hallway.

But Euphemia would say no more, and continued to stare in the direction Lelouch had gone, her mouth working soundlessly as she accepted that one of her greatest fears had finally been realized.

* * *

Kallen had no idea what had happened. She'd only meant to spend a few minutes walking Nunnally home after the meeting, so she could then track down Lelouch and finally confirm if he was really Zero's man. Only when she looked at her watch did she realize that she'd spent three hours with Nunnally. On top of that, Nunnally somehow convinced her to stay for dinner, which, according to the maid, Lelouch almost never showed on time for.

So of course he did that night, accompanied by an odd green-haired girl that was either a very talented spy or a very unskilled prostitute. Realistically, if Nunnally occupied as much of Lelouch's time as Kallen suspected, the latter was more likely. But that Lelouch was such a sucker for a pretty face was a bit disappointing.

The lousy prostitute excused herself halfway through dinner, having finished a few slices of cold pizza in record time. Kallen was relieved, as she didn't want any further distractions. Lelouch appeared to agree, excusing himself and Kallen by claiming that they needed to finish up some Student Council business.

They'd gone straight to Lelouch's room, where Kallen had immediately put a knife to his throat as he locked the door behind him.

"No more games," she snapped. "Are you-"

"You like getting straight to the point, don't you, Q-1?" he asked, smirking.

She sighed and put the knife away. "It's been a long day. What the hell is going on around here? Who was that weird girl with the pizza?"

Lelouch chuckled in a way she didn't care for. "You noticed her, did you? At present, she's a delivery girl. She handles things I can't risk doing in person. A little odd, but Zero approved of her."

Kallen's eyes narrowed. "He said you were his only agent here."

"He was right. I don't think she's quite devoted enough to be called one of the Black Knights at this point. For now, we have a mutually beneficial agreement. She won't be a problem."

"So what's this mission Zero was talking about? What kind of information are you after?"

An odd smile appeared briefly on his face. "Come now, Kallen. You're an accomplished Knightmare pilot, probably the best Zero has. Do you really think he would waste your talents on mere info gathering? That was just an excuse for anyone who might be listening."

"I don't understand," Kallen said slowly. "What am I supposed to be doing, then?"

"Tell me, how do you feel about Nunnally?" Lelouch asked, turning his back on her.

Kallen frowned, getting the impression that she wouldn't like where the conversation was headed. "She was nice enough. Why?"

"What would you say if I told you that she was under Zero's protection?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but then she realized that the evidence was there. Zero had dropped everything the moment he'd heard about the hostage situation at Lake Kawaguchi, even before the hostages had been shown on the news. Kallen had thought it strange that he wasn't even willing to take an armed man inside with him, but now she understood that he'd been less concerned with taking out the JLF faction, and more concerned with that girl remaining unharmed.

"But why?" Kallen finally asked.

Lelouch shook his head. "All I can tell you is that Nunnally is vital to the restoration of Japan, and Zero knows this. She may not have asked for his help, but she does need it. That's where you come in, Kallen. You are now assigned to Nunnally during school hours, whenever you're not called away by Zero. You are to be her personal Black Knight."

* * *

Nina had heard of people who claimed that God spoke to them in the weirdest places: theme parks, strip clubs, and even foreign snack foods.

Zero was not God, and perhaps because of that, he chose the communal restroom in the girls' dorm shortly after midnight. Nina would later realize that this was only because she herself happened to get up at that time, but it still meant that he'd awaited her arrival there for who knew how long.

Thankfully, he waited until she was done drying her hands before speaking to her, from one of the closed stalls, in that booming voice of his.

"Nina Einstein."

She very nearly tripped over her own feet as she spun around, eyes wide as the stall door swung open to reveal the familiar masked figure staring back at her. "Zero?" she gasped, clutching the sink so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Tell me, do you like the power I've given you?" he asked.

Nina frowned slightly, shaking her head. "Power? What power?"

"Geass. The Power of the Absolute Path." He stepped out of the stall, slowly approaching her. "Don't you find it odd that everything seems to be going your way suddenly? Everyone loves your art. You're President of the Art Club. No one can seem to say no to you. What did you believe that to be? Mere good fortune?"

"Then... you did this for me?" she asked, her heart swelling with even more gratitude.

"I merely provided the means. You did this for yourself, without even realizing it. That is the Absolute Path. Those under its influence are presented with a choice, and they will unfailingly choose the option that most benefits you. I only ask two things in return. First, that you never use this power without careful consideration of the consequences. Second, that you never try to use it on me."

"So... if I tried to make you take off your mask?" Nina asked hesitantly.

"In truth, I am immune to the power's effects. But if you will swear your loyalty to me, I will trust you with my identity."

"Of course!" Nina said at once. "Zero, you saved my life! I'll do anything you ask!"

"Thank you, Nina," Zero replied, and then he removed his mask. "Now, go back to your room. I will call for you soon."

Nodding rapidly, Nina practically fell over herself in her hurry to get back to bed.

Once she was gone, Zero walked back into one of the stalls, closed the door, and quickly proceeded to undress. Less than a minute later, a voice called out from the helmet.

"Was the plan a success?"

"You worry too much, Lelouch," C.C. replied, tucking the rest of Zero's outfit into a suitcase. "I told you I could handle this. Now all I need to do is make sure she sees me with you tomorrow."

"I'm still curious about one thing, C.C. How did you know she had Geass, and how did you know exactly what it was?"

"It's very simple," she answered. "I've seen it before. And I never forget an artificial Geass when I see one."

**End of Chapter 3.**

* * *

Endnotes:

Waha! Did you expect Zero to claim Lelouch as his agent? Once I tossed out the hint, I'm sure you did. A little non-canon twist to spice things up (and to cover for the fact that I forgot Kallen)!

I had to look up chess on the internet, it's been years since I played and I was never that good to begin with. Imagine my disappointment when I realized I couldn't use Q1 as a location on the board. So I just went with C6, which is the one of spaces a knight can move to from it's starting position. Not that Kallen would know that on her own.

I didn't realize Lelouch was Vice President of the Student Council until I re-watched the episode where Arthur steals the Zero helmet. I guess it doesn't come up often, or no one wants to admit that because he ditches school so often. Which reminds me, what's up with Nunnally's ears? She can tell that a cat several feet from her has a wounded leg, but she can't tell when C.C.'s standing right in front of her holding a pizza? Even more strange is the fact that Arthur slipped right by C.C. without her noticing, so he should technically be almost supernaturally quiet, unless C.C.'s senses just automatically dull when there's a pizza less than five feet from her...

Uh, about Euphemia kissing Lelouch. I don't know where it came from. But for Lelouch to pretty much become THE definition of "whipped" with Nunnally nowhere in sight, Euphie has got some kind of hold on him.

Lelouch must realize that Euphemia and Nunnally are the only princesses that aren't prejudiced against the Japanese, so it makes sense that one or both of them would play a major role in Japan's liberation.

I know Nina's Geass is weird. I noticed descriptions of both Lelouch's and Rolo's Geass have the word "absolute" somewhere in the title, so I felt it was required. Not quite as powerful or precise, since it's really more like a very long run of good luck than anything else. And all I meant by "artificial Geass" is that it wasn't gained through a contract, and consequently is a bit more passive.

Gah, fixed a little mistake: apparently C.C. hadn't touched Suzaku and given him scary flashbacks at this point in canon. But for all Suzaku knows, she could very well be capable of breathing poison gas, or even be composed of it.

**Something else to point out: as this is Kallen's first day back at school, she's never actually met Lelouch before now. Now I've gotten a LOT of reviews claiming that this being their first meeting causes a load of problems. After some thought, I don't see it that way, and let me explain why. You can safely assume that Kallen still participated in Shinjuku, where Zero saved her and the rest of Ohgi's group. But as she wasn't attending school, there was never a chance for her to meet Lelouch, or suspect him of being Zero. I don't think it would take much effort for Zero to track down Ohgi's group, since he provided them with a trainload of stolen Knightmares. So Ohgi and Kallen would still participate in Suzaku's rescue, only without the weird museum trip and subway ride with Geassed passengers. I'll elaborate on all of this first thing next chapter, just to clear up any lingering doubts. Sorry for any confusion.**


	4. Nunnally's Knight

* * *

Notes: I'm going to attempt to clean up my mess. Thanks to those who had patience, as well as those who pointed out the errors with the intent of improving the story.

Chapter Summary: Cornelia interrogates Suzaku. Kallen finds that protecting Nunnally is a bit more challenging than she first imagined. Lelouch and C.C. discuss the positives of pizza. Euphemia chooses to follow her heart, just as a strangely normal Nina drops in for a visit. A certain immortal does some spying.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 4: Nunnally's Knight**

* * *

It was a small miracle that Ohgi's group had been able to retrieve any of the damaged Sutherlands that Zero had given them in Shinjuku. Thankfully, the Lancelot had only been intent on taking them out of the fight, as opposed to destroying them entirely. Even then, without the help of Kallen and several other experienced pilots, gathering and then repairing the Sutherlands would have been both frustrating and impossible. As it was, nearly half of the units would never be suitable for anything resembling fierce combat conditions, but it didn't take much effort to fill one with bombs and send it racing at an enemy.

Kallen just happened to be inside one of the few working Sutherlands when its radio crackled to life.

"I hope you're enjoying the spoils of war, Q-1."

If Kallen had not been seated at that moment, she might very well have fainted. Instead, she practically clawed at the unit's radio in her hurry to answer the mysterious voice from Shinjuku. "You! How do you keep doing this?! And who said anything about a war?!"

"You expect to take apart Britannia with anything less?" he asked in surprise. "You're thinking much too small. I can only hope that the same isn't true of your comrades. Will you allow me to speak to your leader, or do you really want to risk continuing on without my help? You may have better weapons now, but without the proper mind to guide them, they might as well be children's toys in a fight against Britannia."

Kallen didn't really have much time to think about it. At any moment, the voice could vanish forever, and with it, their chance of facing Britannia on a seemingly level playing field for the first time ever. Less than a minute later, she had all but dragged Ohgi to the Sutherland and put him on the line. She watched with baited breath as Ohgi jotted down the instructions he was given, all with a stumped look on his face. Sure, she had her doubts about it all, but that voice had saved her life, and even though she'd returned the favor shortly afterward, it wasn't so easily forgotten.

"He's crazy," Ohgi said confidently after the voice had gone. "I just hope it's crazy like a fox, and not plain crazy."

"Well, what did he say?!" Kallen demanded.

"A lot. I can tell you that the last thing he said was, 'Bring the girl along, unless she's afraid.'"

"That BASTARD!" Kallen shouted, drawing a laugh from Ohgi. "What's so funny?!"

"I guess you're coming, then. That makes two of us. No way the others will buy this, even if he did save our butts in Shinjuku. But I have to admit, I want to see what he does next. And if he can really pull this off, it'll be a show for the ages."

"So what's he got planned for day two? Assassinating the Emperor?"

Ohgi shook his head in wonder. "Close. Apparently the three of us are going to walk Suzaku Kururugi right out of the military's hands."

Kallen's jaw dropped. "What?! That IS crazy! Ohgi, there's no way! It can't be done!"

He ran a hand nervously through his hair. "Well, there's only one way you'll be there to rub it in his face if it does go wrong, Kallen."

"And would that be before or after the gun us down like dogs in the street?!"

"You know it's not just about trusting him, right?" Ohgi asked, looking into her eyes. "If they kill Kururugi, it could be months before we manage to drum up this much momentum again. Hell, we might never do it again. It doesn't matter if all we have is a voice over the radio and each other. If we let Britannia get away with this, it'll be like Clovis never died at all. They got one of ours, and we got one of theirs. It'll be square one all over again, and we can't afford to land back there, Kallen. We just can't."

She frowned at him, despite the impact of his words. "But it-"

"Naoto would've done it."

That, in the end, was all the convincing she really needed.

As it turned out, Zero was crazy like a fox (while Suzaku just turned out to be plain crazy), and she was still alive because of it. But she was also very confused, because nothing concerning Zero's instructions had made much sense as of late.

Going to school to gather information had just been a front, although she had made contact with Lelouch. Now she was supposed to protect Nunnally, who, other than possibly being the sweetest girl even born, seemed to be of no real importance. Kallen kept turning it over in her head, and the only thing that she could figure was that Nunnally might be related to a famous Japanese soldier. But when questioned about her family, Nunnally had said that her mother was dead, and her father abandoned she and Lelouch when they were young. So even that theory was worthless at best, unless Nunnally was actually capable of lying, which didn't sound likely at all.

Even stranger, Nunnally did not at all mind the idea of someone following her pretty much everywhere. She seemed rather used to it, in fact, and had even invited Kallen to join her in the restroom, something Kallen had done with great reluctance. Nunnally rarely asked for any help, although Kallen offered so much that perhaps Nunnally never really got a chance to ask that often.

By the end of their second day together, Kallen knew she was in trouble. She was seeing Nunnally less as someone she was supposed to protect, and more as a friend. The restroom incidents had cemented that in her mind, and that honestly scared her. Kallen didn't want to lose someone else she cared about, especially not someone who struck her as being so helpless already.

Deep down, she wondered if Lelouch, or even Zero, had counted on her to feel that way about Nunnally. Kallen justified it by telling herself that it wouldn't matter if Nunnally were just a very nice girl, and nothing else. The world could always use one more of those, and the few that did exist deserved to be protected, so why not Nunnally?

* * *

Suzaku had known something was wrong the moment a trio of burly, armed soldiers barged into the break room and began menacing Lloyd. They needn't have bothered: Lloyd was not the type to be intimidated by someone's size, as that would've involved him caring, and that called for far too much effort, especially when there was data that needed analyzing.

Cecile and Suzaku, realizing that Lloyd's indifference might appear to be... well, exactly what it was, quickly ran over and tried to diffuse the situation. But as it turned out, the soldiers didn't care about Lloyd, as they hadn't come for him.

They'd come for Suzaku, at Princess Cornelia's orders. And even when Suzaku instantly agreed to go with them, something about the way they handled him roughly, in spite of his willingness, told him that their feelings were not far from Cornelia's, and that complaining would only earn him worse treatment. Cecile promised to file an official complaint with Prince Schneizel, and Lloyd eventually agreed to do the same, assuming Suzaku had any broken parts when they returned him. Cecile was not amused.

By the time he was deposited at the end of a long dining table, with Cornelia gazing coolly at him from the other end, Suzaku knew what he had to do. He dropped to one knee and lowered his head to pay the proper respect, and seated himself at Cornelia's command. Food was brought to him, but he only ate enough to be polite, almost certain that every bite was poisoned.

The moment he stopped eating, the interrogation began.

"What are your intentions with Euphemia?" Cornelia demanded.

Suzaku did his best to appear confused. "I'm not certain I understand your question, Your Highness. I am a solider, and she is a princess who has privately declared me her personal knight. All I can do is serve her faithfully. So my intentions can only be her intentions."

If the answer surprised Cornelia, she didn't show it. "Why did she visit Ashford Academy?"

"She wanted to be among Britannian students, and to speak with the Ashford family. I assume it was simply nostalgia."

"Then why did she kiss that boy?" Cornelia snapped, narrowing her eyes.

Suzaku blinked, a frown slowly spreading across his face. "You would have to ask the princess herself." The realization that Lelouch had been right about Britannia's prying eyes bothered him a great deal. There was no telling what else Suzaku and Euphemia had been wrong about.

"I hope you realize, Kururugi, that if that had been you, I would be well within my rights to kill you, without any explanation whatsoever."

He closed his eyes. "You could do that, anyway, at any time. Couldn't you?" When he looked again, Cornelia had a nasty smile on her face.

"Yes. I could. So clever of you to realize that. I suggest that you keep it in mind, for future reference."

"May I ask why you hate me, Your Highness?" Suzaku asked boldly. "Is it because I'm an Honorary Britannian? Or because your sister trusts me?"

"Neither, now," Cornelia answered. "I hate you now because you are a man who holds Euphemia's heart in his hands. If you do anything to tarnish such a precious gift, I will kill you myself. But only after I've made you suffer. Do not think that your skill with the Lancelot makes you invaluable. There are, after all, ways to obtain a suitable replacement."

Suzaku didn't know how true that was, but he wasn't about to assume that Cornelia was bluffing, either. He knew there were Knightmare pilots far more talented than himself, and if anyone could summon one at a moment's notice, Cornelia would be near the top of that list.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Euphemia opened her eyes and willed herself to stop crying.

It worked for about a minute.

She knew it was her fault for staring at that painting, but it really was unavoidable now. Especially since she'd requested a reproduction, had it enlarged so that it was almost life-sized, and delivered to her office in the government complex.

It was one of many paintings that she'd found in her late brother's personal gallery, and surprisingly, the only one that featured Lelouch, Nunnally, and their mother. Once, Euphemia had been able to look at it and pretend that she and her half-siblings were still together, happy and safe. But now, she could only look at it and see that the Lelouch she'd loved so dearly was gone forever, all because his mother was cruelly taken away from him.

Ironic, that Zero had been convinced that Clovis had grown up to be a monster. But Clovis had never murdered his own brother, while Lelouch... clever, moody, resourceful, wonderful Lelouch... had. Whatever Clovis had done, Euphemia could not bring herself to believe he'd deserved death. Even if he had ordered the deaths of thousands, or millions, without just cause, he could still repent and be forgiven, eventually.

She knew in her heart that Lelouch was wrong for what he'd done to Clovis. She knew that, and yet she could not bring herself to hate him. That was just how much Lelouch had meant to her, and still did.

That was how much she loved him still.

But it made her incredibly sad, to realize that she would have to discard the memory of one brother, if she was going to keep on adoring another.

"Please forgive me, Clovis," Euphemia whispered. "But I can't let him go. I just can't..."

A curt knock at the door jerked her from her thoughts.

"Your Highness?" one of her attendants asked. "You have a visitor."

"I asked not to be disturbed," Euphemia said as politely as she could manage. She was in no mood to speak to anyone at the moment.

"I'm sorry, but I believe you should."

That was a rather odd way to talk to a princess, and before Euphemia could protest, the door opened.

She relaxed only slightly upon recognizing her visitor, but Euphemia was still very confused. "Nina? What are you doing here, and how did you get in? This really isn't a good time to talk."

"Did something happen?" Nina asked in concern, noticing the tear tracks on Euphemia's cheeks right away.

"I'd really rather not talk about it," Euphemia insisted.

"You're right." Nina smiled and adjusted her glasses with a finger. "You'd rather feel much better, wouldn't you?"

Euphemia blinked, her shoulders drooping slightly. "Yes, I would," she agreed softly, a smile spreading across her face. "And I do!"

Nina beamed at her. "Then I'll leave you alone now. It was nice to see you again, Princess Euphemia. Please call on me if you ever need anything." She turned to leave.

"But didn't you want something, Nina?" Euphemia asked, feeling more lost than ever (but still remarkably good, for some reason).

"Just to see you smile," Nina said warmly without looking back.

"Wait!" Euphemia cried, catching Nina just outside of the office. "I'm not really busy at the moment, so what if I showed you around a little? I'm not supposed to, but I feel I can trust you."

"That would be wonderful, Princess Euphemia," Nina replied. "But how will I ever repay you if you keep doing these nice things for me?"

"That's the beauty of a gift from a friend, Nina," Euphemia said, taking her hand. "You don't have to pay them back. You just have to appreciate it."

* * *

Kallen closed her eyes in bliss as she took another large bite of the lunch that Sayoko had prepared. She hadn't tasted anything so wonderful in years, and was immensely thankful that Nunnally had wanted a picnic lunch today. It was a little odd, since Nunnally usually ate with her friends, but Kallen honestly preferred the peaceful picnic to the noisy cafeteria.

"Kallen, can I ask you something?"

Immediately swallowing the food she was chewing, Kallen looked over her shoulder. Nunnally was staring at her lap, anxiously bunching up her skirt and then smoothing it out, a clear sign that this was not an easy question to ask. "Of course you can, Nunnally," Kallen said at once.

"It's just... I overheard you and Miss Sayoko talking the other day, and... are you really my friend?"

Kallen's jaw dropped. "N-Nunnally," she stammered, completely floored. Of course, she had no idea how much Nunnally had heard, so she wasn't about to admit to too much. Sayoko was Lelouch and Nunnally's maid, as well as the one who would be protecting Nunnally while Kallen was away, and had been doing so for some time now. Lelouch had introduced them so they could coordinate in their efforts to provide Nunnally with constant security. Kallen was amazed at the skill with which such a gentle woman could handle a wide variety of projectile weapons, and had felt way out of her league when they'd sparred. But Sayoko had assured her that knives and darts were far easier to master than Knightmares, and Kallen wasn't exactly a beginner herself.

"It's okay if you aren't," Nunnally added softly. "I'm thankful for your protection, anyway."

"No!" Kallen blurted out, seizing Nunnally's hand. "It isn't like that, I swear! I am your friend, Nunnally! I just-"

"But you lied," Nunnally whispered. "You said you were sick."

"I... yes, I did say that," Kallen admitted. "But that's only because I have to protect my identity, too. I was afraid that if you or anyone else knew who I was, you'd treat me differently."

Nunnally was silent for a few seconds as she thought about it. "I don't care if you're Japanese, Kallen," she said at last. "But if you really are my friend, please don't lie to me anymore."

Kallen bit her lip. "I can only promise that if you'll promise to understand that there are some things I choose not to tell you, so that I won't have to lie to you."

"Okay," Nunnally agreed, giving her hand a little squeeze. "But if you're going to start wearing knives under your clothes like Miss Sayoko, you should probably practice walking and sitting with them on first."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kallen laughed weakly.

* * *

Rarely did Lelouch have a free afternoon, but the added stress of dealing with Suzaku and Euphemia had convinced him that a small break was needed here and there, if for no other reason than to make sure C.C. was staying out of trouble. He felt a bit more secure with his added security measures in place around campus, but C.C. was notorious for disappearing without warning, even if she always came back in time for dinner or to steal his bed.

Naturally, Lelouch told no one of his change in plans, which allowed him to walk into his bedroom just as C.C. was opening her version of dinner on his bed: a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese.

Their eyes met, but not a word passed between them. C.C. was not ashamed of her habit, and Lelouch had grown accustomed to the constant aroma of pizza hanging around. There were far worse smells, after all, and at least all the pizzas were easily explained away. Trying to persuade C.C. not to purchase pizza was truly an exercise in futility, and Lelouch was just glad that was the only thing she constantly charged to his credit card. He just wished they would stop sending over the Cheese-kun plushies with every tenth pizza in a week, as he was running out of places to hide them.

"How is it you manage not to get fat, if all you ever eat is pizza?" Lelouch asked suddenly. "I never see you do anything more strenuous than walk across campus, and you only do that to annoy me between classes."

C.C. didn't even look up. "Pizza is brain food. If you ate more pizza, you'd know that, as well as how I stay in shape."

"An interesting proposal," Lelouch said as he sat down on the other end of the bed, removed the first slice from the box, and took a bite. He almost laughed at the comical expression of shock on C.C.'s face.

"I wanted that piece," she informed him, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"I hadn't noticed," he replied without much concern, taking another bite.

Frowning, C.C. moved the pizza box aside, crawled across the bed towards him, and sank her teeth into the crust of the stolen slice, pulling the whole thing away from him with a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

Lelouch was too startled to respond, watching as she devoured the slice in a manner of seconds. He wondered if she knew anything about the concept of an indirect kiss, then decided if she didn't care about getting his germs, nothing else would bother her when it came to pizza, either.

"I'm getting mixed signals," he said at last. "You say I should eat pizza, but then you take it from me."

She clutched the box protectively. "Get your own. This is my pizza."

"Purchased with my credit card, which is in my name. So in the eyes of the law, and more importantly, Pizza Hut, that's my pizza. I would think you could part with a slice or two."

Scowling at him, C.C. picked out the smallest slice and offered it to him. "There. You can have that."

He smirked. "How am I going to get smarter than you if that's all I eat?"

"Don't be stupid. You can't get smarter than me. But you won't be quite as annoying if you eat a little pizza. Very little pizza."

* * *

"I'm telling you," Rivalz said as he, Milly, and Shirley headed across campus, "there's something weird about Kallen, now that she's back."

Milly snorted. "You're only saying that because she won't talk to you."

"No, I noticed it, too!" Shirley added. "Kallen doesn't talk much to anyone, and almost never leaves Nunnally's side. Nunnally is talking to other people less and less, too. I'm really worried about her. And as usual, Lulu is nowhere to be found when he's needed!"

"Hmm." Milly tapped her chin thoughtfully with a finger. "Then it's up to us to rescue our darling Nunnally from the evil clutches of the returning student! I feel a devious plan coming on!"

"We're with you, Madame President!" Rivalz shouted excitedly. "I am yours to command!"

"You guys are weird," Shirley muttered, just because it had to be said. "What's the plan?"

Milly's eyes gleamed. "Kallen has taken Nunnally hostage, right? So we have to abduct her back!"

"But that makes it sound like Nunna wouldn't want to come with us, anyway," Shirley argued.

"She wouldn't! Kallen has obviously brainwashed our poor, sweet Nunnally! That's why you two have to distract Kallen while I cleverly spirit Nunnally away to safety!"

"Great! And I know exactly where they are!" Rivalz said with a big grin, his nostrils flaring.

Shirley stared at him in shock. "You can SMELL them?"

"What? No! But I overheard Nunnally say she'd be stopping by the Artiste Society today. They want her to pose again later this week."

Milly gave him a thumbs up. "Good work, Rivalz! Let's go get our Nunnally back!"

The determined trio quickly made their way to the hallway where the former Art Club's classroom was located, just in time to find Kallen guiding Nunnally through the thinning afternoon crowd.

"Begin the operation!" Milly hissed, shoving her friends forward.

Rivalz sprang into action, running right up to Kallen and asking her out on a date. The look she gave him in return made her answer an obvious refusal, but before she could put that into words, Shirley ran up and smacked the back of his head, apologizing over and over. Kallen relaxed somewhat in the face of the the repeated apologies, and actually removed her hands from Nunnally's wheelchair in an attempt to stop Shirley from talking.

That was just what Milly had been waiting for. She quickly snuck through the crowd (having to shush several excited boys that caught sight of her), grabbed Nunnally's wheelchair, and began to move the girl away from Kallen. Milly would've like to warn Nunnally first, but Kallen would overhear them.

Unfortunately, Nunnally knew nothing of Milly's plan, or even that it was Milly who had taken her. She only knew that Kallen was with her for a good reason, and that this might actually be that reason. "Kallen! KALLEN!" she cried loudly. "Help me, please!"

It was like someone flipped a switch in Kallen's brain. Shirley grabbed her wrist, and Rivalz purposely stood in her way, but they might as well not have been there at all. Kallen snapped Shirley's wrist with little more than a thought, and punched Rivalz in the nose so hard that he was bleeding well before he hit the floor. Then she took off like a rocket, shoving people out of way in her hurry to get to Nunnally.

Milly might have been determined, but she was not crazy. There was no way she could get away from Kallen, not if she had to push Nunnally, too. And despite how furious Kallen seemed at the moment, Milly suspected that all she really wanted was Nunnally safe at her side. So she brought Nunnally's wheelchair to a stop and quickly moved away from it.

But all that meant was that Kallen merely paused to check on Nunnally first. All too soon, though, her gaze moved to Milly, and the look in her eyes promised pain unlike anything Milly had ever experienced before.

"Don't hurt Milly, Kallen," Nunnally said suddenly, startling them both. "She's my friend, and I'm sure she didn't mean me any harm."

"You knew it was me the whole time?" Milly asked in shock.

Nunnally shook her head. "No, only when I had a moment to think about it. Who else would Shirley and Rivalz be plotting with?"

"Why did you do that?!" Kallen demanded angrily, glaring at Milly. "If you're really Nunnally's friend, why would you move her without telling her first?"

"Because we were trying to save her from you!" Milly snapped, feeling a bit more brave now that Nunnally was seemingly on her side again. "You're isolating Nunnally from her friends, and they miss her!"

Kallen blinked, clearly not expecting that. She turned to Nunnally and asked hesitantly, "Is that true, Nunnally? Am I doing that? I didn't want to disrupt your life, or keep you from having one that you could still enjoy."

Nunnally tilted her head slightly. "I suppose I haven't been around my friends as much. But that's only because I've been getting to know you, Kallen. I'm sorry if I worried anyone, but I'm just fine. I'll still be spending a lot of time with Kallen, though."

"Why?" Milly asked, wondering what Nunnally might see in such a violent person.

"Because I've decided that she's my new best friend," Nunnally replied simply.

"Shirley isn't going to like that," Milly sighed. Then her eyes widened. "Oh, Shirley! And Rivalz!"

Kallen winced as Milly rushed past her. Rivalz had gotten back to his feet, but his nose was bleeding pretty badly. Shirley was standing, too, whimpering in pain and staring at her swollen wrist. Even worse, everyone still in the hallway was staring at Kallen fearfully. This was not going to end well.

But still, something tugged at Kallen's thoughts. "Nunnally... did you mean that?" she whispered, placing her hand over Nunnally's.

Instead of answering, Nunnally grasped Kallen's hand, and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "Thank you for saving me, Kallen," she said softly.

Kallen blushed faintly. "Ah, you're welcome, Nunnally. But I didn't really-"

"Let's go make sure everyone's okay. I think I'll have to explain our situation to the principal now, so you don't get expelled."

"Right," Kallen sighed, mentally kicking herself. She hadn't failed Zero or Nunnally, not really, but she'd effectively blown her cover. Now everyone would know that Nunnally had a bodyguard. On the other hand, Knights were public knowledge, so perhaps this could be used to their advantage. Maybe this would even decrease the likelihood of Nunnally being attacked, if it was known that she had a capable protector. Only Kallen was sure that the next threat wouldn't come from a trio of misguided Britannian students.

And she prayed that no one ever thought to question why Nunnally might need such protection in the first place.

* * *

Nina practically skipped back to her dorm room, having just come from an exclusive viewing of Clovis la Britannia's personal art gallery. That had been a gift from Euphemia, along with the contact number for one Earl Asplund, who could fast-track Nina's potential career in military science if she chose to look him up.

All that, and she'd only had to use her Geass twice. First, on one of the guards, who'd taken her straight to Euphemia, and then on Euphemia herself. But each of the gifts had simply been a result of the Third Princess's generosity, and nothing more.

All that, from just two carefully phrased questions, and the nifty little power that Zero had blessed her with. Nina was still surprised that Zero was a woman, but at least that explained the attraction on her part.

She went to bed that night fully intending to dream of pink and green-haired vixens, but Nina found herself stuck on the portrait that she'd glanced at in Euphemia's office. It had been exceptionally large for a work of art, and while Nina could not identify the people in it, she could not completely dismiss the notion that she knew them, somehow. They were obviously important to Euphemia, and Nina made a mental note to ask about them in the near future. Euphemia had promised they would do lunch soon, so that would be as good a time as any.

* * *

In the darkness, two people stood, silently watching footage of Nina as she went about her day.

"Such a curious child. It's been a long time since I've seen someone use their Geass in such a manner."

The young boy raised his head, staring at his master's back. "How do you mean?"

"Her love of science guides every use. She turns all of her suggestions into a query beforehand, so that her ability won't do so on its own, which eliminates the possibility of it doing anything she didn't want to begin with. In essence, she tells her Geass what would benefit her the most, so it has no chance to misinterpret anything."

"Shall I kill her?"

The boy's master sighed heavily. "That's your problem, Rolo. You have no head for science. I was just singing the girl's praises, so why would I want you to kill her?"

Rolo frowned. "I am an assassin. I assume that you only discuss people with me if you want them dead. I can never tell what you're thinking."

"Because it's your job to kill, not to know my thoughts. And I'll tell you when you need to attempt either. For now, I want you to continue your surveillance of Ashford Academy. Make sure that Cornelia's men don't see you. They'd only complicate things, and even with your Geass, I would prefer not to waste time."

Without a word, Rolo left to do his master's bidding.

Rolo's master smiled as he watched Nina sleeping peacefully. "Sweet dreams, child. But not for too long. I want to see what you do next with the power I've given you. You may turn out to be my most interesting experiment yet. Not particularly powerful or useful, but interesting all the same."

* * *

C.C.'s eyes snapped open as she heard someone slip into Lelouch's room in the middle of the night. Hearing only one set of footsteps, she relaxed somewhat. If the military were going to kill or capture her, they'd at least send more than one person to do the job.

"Move or I'm sleeping on top of you," a familiar voice grunted wearily, and C.C. rolled over in bed just in time to avoid being crushed (or at least made marginally uncomfortable) by Lelouch. She noted that he was fully clothed, and clearly so exhausted that he intended to sleep just as he was. Also, he wasn't making a big deal about sleeping in the same bed as her for once, and at the same time, no less.

"So how did it go with the principal?" she asked.

"Fine. It just took forever to convince him that everything was fine. Kallen blew her cover, but only as a feeble student. Now they think she's a strong, schizophrenic student."

"You used your Geass, then?"

He chuckled into the pillow. "Amazingly, I didn't. Kallen's behavior alone was convincing enough."

She blinked. "And such students are commonly allowed to attend?"

"No, but they're also convinced that Nunnally is the only person who can keep Kallen calm." There was a slight pause before Lelouch added, "That part may actually be true."

"You sound concerned. Aren't you the one who gave her this duty?"

"That's not what worries me," Lelouch replied. "It's just that Nunnally's become attached to Kallen so quickly. But for most of my plans to succeed, I'll need to depend on Kallen's abilities. If she dies in battle, then..."

"So don't let her die," C.C. concluded simply.

He considered that briefly. "C.C., could you-"

"Give her a Geass?"

"Would you?"

"That would be a great risk, Lelouch," C.C. warned him. "Geass could very well drive her away from you and Nunnally both, especially if she discovers what yours is and links it back to Zero."

"It's possible," he admitted. "But there may be a way around it."

"Using your own Geass on her?"

"No. Telling her the truth."

C.C. stared at him. "You are tired. You're not thinking straight."

"I'm not that tired. And I didn't mean the whole truth. Just enough to keep Kallen loyal. If Zero told her about Geass, and proved she was not under its influence, I believe she would remain loyal."

"If she doesn't, you may need to kill her."

"I'd use my Geass on her if it came to that. Kallen being controlled is better than her being dead. I need her to protect Nunnally, one way or the other."

**End of Part 4.**

* * *

Endnotes:

Something I'm uncertain about, canon-wise: do Lelouch, Nunnally, and the Ashfords know about Sayoko's ninja background from the start? I can't really get a clear sense of that, since Sayoko has very little screen time early on. On the other hand, I don't think Lelouch would trust Nunnally's safety to a regular maid, who couldn't protect her. So I'm just assuming that Nunnally has noticed that Sayoko is either too agile for a maid, or realized that the concealed weapon stash she wears alters her footsteps somewhat (okay, that probably sounds stupid, but I still say that if Nunnally can tell that one of Arthur's legs was hurt by his footsteps, a human carrying hidden weapons shouldn't be much more of a challenge, especially a person she's around all of the time).

Oh, an indirect kiss is when someone puts their mouth on something where someone else's mouth has been just seconds before. I think it's a Japanese thing, as the last time I even heard it discussed was in another anime where two characters drank from the same soda. In my experience, it's usually either meant to be disgusting, funny as hell, or both.

I think I subconsciously hate Rivalz, but I can't figure out why. He's kinda funny half the time, and he loves Milly, which makes him relatively normal. I just don't get it. All I know is that when he shows up in my fics, he gets hurt. I'm not crazy about Shirley, either, but mostly she just gets ignored.

Nina's Geass is like a pitfall trap. She gives the victim a choice (easiest presented as a question), and her Geass pushes them into the "hole" that most benefits her. But it's dangerous to leave that up to Geass, so Nina simplifies and safeguards the process by saying something like, "Don't you want to let me talk to Princess Euphemia?" That makes what benefits her so obvious that it can't be taken the wrong way... in theory. Of course, when she was unaware of the power, she just asked things like, "Do you really like my sketches?" or "Should I really be the Art Club President?" Both of which are pretty open-ended, but Geass still pushed people into favoring her.

It's probably obvious who Rolo's master is, and I dunno why I didn't bother to use his name yet.

Somehow I don't think C.C. being fallen on by Lelouch would count as being crushed. I mean, she might even weigh more than him, considering how skinny he is. Just another reason he should eat more pizza, if you ask me.


	5. The Happy Prince

* * *

Notes: This chapter somewhat draws on the Season 1 episode "Refrain." But it probably ends different enough where there's hardly any resemblance at all. Although I don't know if that's a good thing or not. You tell me.

Chapter Summary: Sayoko knows a secret. Cornelia keeps Suzaku under her thumb. C.C. is watched from afar. Nina hears a story. Euphemia seeks to restore Lelouch's happiness. Kallen moves in.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 5: The Happy Prince**

* * *

Sayoko had always known that she would one day serve a great man. Practically everyone in her family had, as their mastery of martial arts was just too invaluable in a war-torn world. But she had never really stopped to consider that the great man she served would technically be two men, or just one with two faces.

Brilliant as Lelouch Lamperouge was, like most members of royalty, there was a certain arrogance about him. Sayoko believed that was why he had yet to tell her that he was Zero: he honestly thought she wouldn't figure it out. But he'd made it so terribly obvious, at least in her opinion.

She had first begun to suspect on the night that Nunnally was held hostage. Lelouch had come home extremely late, even though he had to know what had happened to his sister. But he was not at all overly concerned, and was satisfied with just peeking in on Nunnally as she slept. Then he had gone straight to his room with a pizza, where C.C. was no doubt waiting on him. They talked well into the morning (or C.C. had; Lelouch went silent after a while, leading Sayoko to believe that the girl had been talking to herself). And the following morning, when Lelouch asked Sayoko to be extra wary of any visitors she didn't recognize, she had only nodded.

Then there was the way that Lelouch always paid such close attention whenever Nunnally mentioned Zero. It wasn't something she brought up often, really, but Zero was a popular topic of conversation lately, and Nunnally had actually met him. Something about the way Lelouch reacted made it seem as if he were seeking his sister's approval.

But the biggest clue had come when Lelouch introduced Sayoko to Kallen. For not having any formal training, Kallen was an excellent fighter, even if she became a bit of a brawler when her temper kicked in. But Kallen, like nearly every Knightmare pilot that also fought outside of their machines, was so obviously still a pilot that she might as well have introduced herself as such: the way she dodged, the way certain muscles in her arms and legs were more hardened than others, and the way her hands gripped for controls that weren't there. Sayoko could read all of that in just one sparring session with Kallen, but she had said nothing. If Lelouch was connected to Knightmare pilots, there was really only one side he could and would fight for. Confident in that knowledge, Sayoko had continued to keep her silence.

Then Lelouch told her that he and Kallen both supported the Black Knights.

Sayoko had very nearly laughed in his face.

Instead, she'd promised to continue helping them in whatever way she could.

It had bothered her somewhat, when Lelouch asked her not to say anything to Nunnally. But Sayoko was confident that Nunnally would come to the same conclusions. She was a very perceptive girl, and more importantly, the person who knew Lelouch best. There was just no way he could hide himself from her forever.

Still, it was not Sayoko's place to interfere, yet. She wanted to aid Lelouch above all else, and she would do just that. And if he were ever placed in a position where he might not act for fear of revealing himself to her, she would just admit that she'd known his secret all along. Burdening her charges was something she refused to do, and the mask of Zero had to be heavy enough on Lelouch already.

* * *

Kallen was really starting to believe that Nunnally's kindness and patience simply knew no limits. Although neither of them brought up Kallen's injuring two of Nunnally's friends, it was clear that Nunnally had forgiven her within seconds of the incident. Lelouch acted in much the same way once he was told, thanking Kallen for protecting his sister and completely ignoring the fact that Rivalz and Shirley had been hurt in the process.

And while Nunnally had not insisted on it, Kallen had made a point to apologize to Rivalz and Shirley. Rivalz seemed more embarrassed by the fact that a girl had knocked him down with one punch, and kept asking if Kallen would give him a few pointers. But Shirley had replaced her fear of Kallen with some rather justifiable anger. She mostly avoided both Kallen and Nunnally whenever possible, choosing to shoot Kallen dark looks from a distance instead. Nunnally was disappointed by this, but told Kallen not to worry about it too much. Shirley was more upset about losing a friend than she was about her wrist, but that had been her own choice, so there was really nothing either of them could do.

Strangely enough, most of the male students adopted variations of Rivalz's attitude, becoming perfectly friendly, if not a bit hesitant, towards Kallen. But the girls, while much more engaging than Shirley, all seemed to be a bit too chatty, and nothing they said was of any real importance. Kallen suspected that they were all talking about her behind her back, but so long as no one tried to hurt Nunnally to get to her, she didn't care.

Everyone made Kallen's job a lot easier, however, by generally giving she and Nunnally a wide berth as they moved through the halls. People approached them one at a time, instead of crowding around, and if Lelouch was present, everyone stayed away. Lelouch had enjoyed that immensely, wishing he'd thought of it sooner, but Nunnally told him he was being weird and antisocial, a truly unforgivable offense, apparently.

Lelouch was around them much more in the days following the incident, and Kallen could not decide what the reason for that was. Clearly he trusted her ability to protect Nunnally, so it wasn't that. More than anything, he would ask Kallen complicated, philosophical questions that she was completely unprepared for. It occurred to her to simply ask what he was doing, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of admitting that he was successfully flustering her. Her blurting out answers amused Nunnally, if nothing else.

Even stranger, Lelouch chose to accompany them when Nunnally returned to the Artiste Society for her second modeling appearance. Kallen knew for a fact that Lelouch hated the first time, as he proved by forcing Nina to promise that only Nunnally was posing the moment they stepped through the door. And while this was meant to intimidate Nina, she only smirked and told him not to flatter himself. It took five minutes to get Nunnally to stop laughing long enough to pose properly.

From then on, Lelouch was silent. At first, he was still seething from embarrassment, but later on he seemed to be quietly reflecting on something. Sometimes he would close his eyes and mutter to himself, and sometimes he would stare at Nunnally with such obvious pride and devotion in his eyes that Kallen felt like she was intruding just by sitting next to him.

About thirty minutes into the modeling session, Kallen felt something warm, soft, and furry brush her hand. She glanced down, more than a little surprised to find a grey cat rubbing its cheek against the back of her hand. It looked up at her and offered a hopeful purr, and she rewarded it by gently rubbing along the large, black spot over its right eye. The purring increased in volume, and the cat made its way into her lap, where it settled down as she continued to pet it, flicking the black tip of its tail contentedly.

"Looks like Arthur's taken a liking to you," Lelouch noted absently.

"How'd he get that name?" Kallen asked, feeling it was a little odd for a cat.

"I assume because he's technically Suzaku's, and that's the name Suzaku apparently gave him. I didn't ask for details, because I only wanted to know what to call him when he inevitably did something wrong."

"Is there anyone you don't have issues with, Lelouch?"

He thought for a moment. "You, but I haven't known you very long."

"Why doesn't that answer surprise me? You know, if Nunnally wasn't your sister, I don't think anyone would ever talk to you at all."

"A man can dream, I suppose," Lelouch sighed wistfully.

"The really stupid part is that all those girls go nuts over you because you act this way," Kallen grumbled.

"Believe me, it's not an act," he assured her. "I'm just thankful to know you'll never act that way around me. Right?"

She snorted. "I've got better things to do than waste my time following you around like a lovesick puppy. I mean, you barely have any redeeming qualities, and your whole attitude makes them impossible to detect, anyway."

Lelouch glanced at her. "You've been hanging out with the pizza girl, haven't you?"

Kallen gave him an odd look. "No. Why would I?"

"You're starting to sound exactly like her, but you're slightly less annoying. And you're fully dressed."

Kallen turned bright red. "Why wouldn't I be?!"

"I'm just saying that she-"

"Let's get one thing straight! SHE is the whore, not me!" Kallen hissed softly.

Lelouch stared at her, more amused than anything else. "You know she's not actually a whore, right? Or if she is, she isn't servicing me. And I don't know any man that would be willing to put up with her attitude long enough to-"

"I don't want to hear this!" Kallen growled.

He shrugged. "I'm just warning you. Calling her a whore to her face wouldn't be a good idea. Oh, and keep your evening free. I think I'll take you out tonight."

Kallen already had her mouth open to yell a refusal when she caught the small zero he formed with his thumb and pointer finger. Relaxing somewhat, she grumbled something that might have been acceptance, glaring when he smirked and actually began humming an upbeat tune.

* * *

The moment Nunnally was done posing, Nina thanked her for coming, and then rushed outside, where a private car was waiting. Just under thirty minutes later, Nina was sitting down in an upscale restaurant that was curiously empty, aside from a single waiter and her dinner date.

"The owner is a friend of mine," Euphemia explained upon noticing Nina's glances. "I once visited his daughter when she was very sick, and she's never let either of us forget it. So I come here every so often to meet with dignitaries, and as long as I agree to get my picture taken, my guests and I eat free."

"It must be nice to be a noble," Nina said without really thinking about it. "You probably meet with people like that all the time..."

"Actually, he's an Honorary Britannian. He retired from the military and opened this place so he could stay close to home. And I meet with what you might think of as common people more than you might think. Nobles all tend to be the same: utterly boring. It's only when you venture outside that you see all the wonderful differences that the world has to offer."

Nina was not really sure what to say to that. She was a bit more open-minded towards foreigners now, since Zero was probably one, and clearly identified with the less fortunate in Britannian society. But the idea of actually being on that side was still very new to her.

"You said on the phone that you wanted to ask me something?" Euphemia offered.

"Oh, right! I, um, noticed that one portrait in your office. I wanted to ask who those people in it were."

Euphemia paused, closing her eyes briefly. "Are you sure you want to hear that story? It's like a thoroughly depressing fairy tale."

"If they're important to you, I'm curious to know why," Nina insisted.

"Very well," Euphemia sighed. "I like to call this story, 'The Happy Prince.' Once upon a time, there lived a young prince. Like most princes do, he lived in a palace with his family. Unlike most princes, he was extraordinarily kind, and clever as well. Despite being surrounded by some of the finest things one can gain in life, he needed only his mother and sister for happiness. The prince was not well-loved by many people, but those who knew him best would've done anything to see him smile just for them.

"But one day, everything in the prince's life started to go wrong. Someone killed his mother, and in the same attack, his sister was crippled for life. Then the king cast them both out of the palace, forcing them to survive by their wits alone."

"That's terrible," Nina whispered.

"Every day that the prince had to watch his sister, he would grow sadder and sadder. But over time, this sadness became anger, and then hatred. The prince swore that he would never rest until he had destroyed his former family, restored him and his sister to their rightful place, and created a world where such injustice could never happen to anyone else."

"He doesn't sound very happy," Nina finally said.

Euphemia smiled faintly. "No, I suppose he doesn't. Anyway, that prince was once my dear brother. I keep that portrait in my office for many reasons. In the end, I think I just want to remember him the way he was."

Nina gently touched her hand. "Did he... die?"

"In a way," Euphemia sighed. "The prince in that portrait certainly did. And sometimes I fear that my brother may be dead, too."

"Then bring him back," Nina said at once. "That's what angels like you do, isn't it? If anyone can save him, from death, darkness, or anything else, it's you. It doesn't sound like anyone else can or will help him, so he must be waiting for you to take the first step."

"But he keeps pushing me away, and I don't-"

"Nothing truly worth having is easily gained. If you love your brother as much as I think you do, then you have to constantly show him that. Leave no doubt in his mind of the way you feel, and even when he realizes it, don't stop." Nina stopped there, realizing a little too late that she hadn't even thought to use her Geass to reinforce the suggestion. But from the determined look on Euphemia's face, Nina wondered if she would even have to.

"You're absolutely right, Nina. I was never as clever or tactically sound as him, but even he can't resist me when I play to my strengths!" With that, Euphemia signaled the waiter, who had been standing by patiently. "First, we'll eat. Then, I'm going to start getting my brother back!"

* * *

"I have to go out now, Nunnally," Kallen said as she walked into Nunnally's bedroom, knelt down before the wheelchair, and gently took the girl's hand. "Sayoko is here if you need anything, and please don't try to wait up for me or Lelouch. There's no telling when he'll get in."

"You will be careful, won't you, Kallen?" Nunnally asked softly. "I worry about you."

"Try not to," Kallen suggested, slowly releasing her hand and standing up. "I've been trained for this sort of thing, so it shouldn't be anything I can't handle."

"Could you call me when you get home, so I know you're safe? Even if it's the middle of the night?"

Kallen frowned. "Nunnally, that isn't-"

"Please, Kallen? I just have a bad feeling about tonight."

She sighed. "Alright. But I'm going to be fine, and then you'll be upset that I woke you for nothing."

"Knowing you're okay isn't nothing, and it would never upset me," Nunnally disagreed.

Kallen shook her head and leaned down to hug Nunnally. "I'll be fine, and we'll be laughing about this in the morning."

Nunnally grasped her arms firmly. "I won't forgive you so easily if that's a lie."

"It isn't," Kallen assured her, having no idea how wrong she was. She'd just barely released Nunnally when the cell phone on the bed began to chirp excitedly.

"Could you hand me that on your way out, Kallen?" Nunnally asked.

"Sure," Kallen said, reaching over to pick up the phone. As it was already open, she automatically glanced at the tiny screen, pausing at the name displayed there. "It's someone named Euphie."

"She's a friend," Nunnally said at once, thanking Kallen as she handed over the phone. "Don't forget you promised to call me, Kallen."

"I won't," Kallen called over her shoulder as she left the room.

Nunnally quickly ran her finger along the phone until she felt the familiar shape of the 'Talk' button and pressed it. "Euphie, it's nice to hear from you as always, but should you really be calling me right now?"

"Yes, Nunnally. It's important," Euphemia replied. "I want to make our brother happy again."

Nunnally did not need to ask which brother, as Lelouch was the only one Euphemia would've talked about that way in her presence. That, and she sounded far too eager to be speaking of any other brother. "That's sweet, but-"

"Nunnally," Euphemia interrupted. "Doesn't it bother you that Lelouch wasn't all that happy to see me?"

"Yes, but he was being cautious. We can't trade away our lives for one moment of happiness. He loves you, Euphie, and so do I. You know that. But Lelouch has been protecting me for as long as I can remember, and he's quite good at it. I know you mean well, but please don't make this any harder on him."

"I just want him to smile again. Is that so wrong?"

"No, of course not. But I'm just saying that we have to be careful."

"And if I promise to be careful, and leave the details to you, will you help me? Nunnally, my dear little sister, will you help me make our beloved Lelouch smile again?"

"You're not playing fair," Nunnally sighed, smiling, "but okay. What did you have in mind?"

* * *

"Tired?"

Suzaku's head snapped up, and he did his best to conceal any traces of his exhaustion as he stared up into the piercing gaze of Andreas Darlton. "No, I was just-"

Grunting, Darlton forced a steaming cup of coffee into Suzaku's hand. "Sit down and drink that before you fall down, boy. You don't, and I'll knock you out myself."

Nodding uneasily, Suzaku slowly sank onto a nearby crate and drank the coffee. He didn't taste it at all, but it was hot sliding down his throat, and more than enough to wake him up. He relaxed as Darlton walked out of the warehouse to check on his other men. Only an hour earlier, the warehouse had been a base for a small terrorist group. But all of the members were either captured or dead now, and Suzaku suspected they would all soon just be dead, if Cornelia had her way.

Suzaku had only been under Cornelia's direct command for a day, and already he was starting to wonder if it would be easier to just die in battle. The Second Princess had taken great pleasure in using him to round up several Japanese terrorist groups.

The worst part was that Suzaku had been forced to do his best. The smallest implication that he was helping the terrorists escape, going easy on them, or worst of all, secretly aiding them, and Cornelia could have him locked away for the rest of his natural life, if she were feeling generous. Another option was that he could "accidentally" be killed by friendly fire, although he didn't consider anyone under Cornelia's orders a friend. Darlton had at least been approaching civil, although Suzaku realized the man was only hard on him because a few engagements did not mean that Suzaku was worthy to be among them.

But this wasn't about being worthy, not at all. This was about Cornelia keeping Suzaku away from Euphemia, which she'd effectively done. And Suzaku could not complain, because even if he was unhappy, he was also gradually advancing his career, which could only help him in the future. The less people in Britannia he had to answer to, the more freedom he'd have.

He missed Euphemia terribly, but Cornelia had at least allowed him a single phone call daily. Anyone could see that she had a huge soft spot for her sister, and Suzaku knew that phone call was more for Euphemia's benefit than his. There had been no more questions about their relationship, although the coldness in Cornelia's eyes had not faded around him at all.

Euphemia had been in high spirits when he'd called, at least. She had babbled excitedly about throwing some kind of party, which Suzaku assumed he would have to miss. Suzaku almost asked if she were searching for Zero on her own, then thought better of it. He didn't want to put any dangerous ideas in her head, and Cornelia would never forgive him if Euphemia were harmed because of him. But he was still worried about her having proper protection, especially with both Cornelia and himself otherwise occupied. It would've been the perfect time for Zero to strike, and Suzaku desperately hoped that someone else soon realized that.

* * *

Lelouch returned home exhausted but triumphant. As Zero, he had led the Black Knights on a successful raid of several warehouses where the drug Refrain was stored and distributed. There had been some momentary skirmishes with the Knight Police, but Kallen had dealt with them almost single-handedly in her Guren. It was almost as if she had a personal stake in the destruction of Refrain, but the only thing Lelouch could be sure of was that she was not a user herself. Kallen was not the kind of person who would be content to live in the past: she had far too much invested in creating a future for herself and for Japan.

Overall, it was just a small step for the Black Knights, but sometimes, that was the only way to advance, and Lelouch had no complaints. With the mission behind him, he could look forward to a few hours of sleep before he had to go to school in the morning.

But as Lelouch took the first few steps into his home, he knew at once there would be no rest that night. For just in front of him were Nunnally, Sayoko, and Euphemia, and above their heads, a white banner with multicolored lettering which read, "SURPRISE!!"

Lelouch was indeed surprised.

"It's not my birthday," was the only thing he could think to say.

"That's why it's a surprise!" Euphemia exclaimed gleefully, throwing a handful of confetti at him.

Lelouch blinked as the multicolored bits rained down on him. "Ah."

"We got you presents," Nunnally said. "I had to make mine, since this was kind of thrown together at the last minute." She held out a tray with two carefully constructed origami cranes: one pink, and one black.

Somehow he knew immediately they were supposed to represent himself and Nunnally, but at the moment, he didn't much care. Lelouch's eyes were drawn to the series of small paper cuts decorating Nunnally's fingers. Either she was terrible at origami, which he doubted, or she had been folding in a hurry, which was far more likely. He took the tray from her, handed it to Sayoko, gently seized Nunnally's wrists, and tenderly kissed each of his sister's fingertips. Her face was bright red by the time he finished, but when Lelouch drew her into a tight hug, she came willingly enough.

"Thank you, Nunnally," he said softly in her ear, "but please don't hurt yourself on my account again."

"It's just a few paper cuts," she argued lightly.

"And each one is a dagger in my very soul."

Nunnally pouted. "But I wanted to do something nice for you..."

"You are something nice for me," Lelouch insisted. "Always. And I could never get a better present than your smile welcoming me home."

There was a soft sniffle off to the right, and he glanced over to find Euphemia dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.

"Why do I get the distinct impression that all of this was your doing, Euphie?"

"It was her idea, but I helped!" Nunnally added, not wanting all the credit to go to someone else.

But Lelouch wasn't looking to give credit. He was looking for someone to blame. Although from the hopeful expression on Euphemia's face, she clearly didn't know that, but perhaps she sensed that her party could only be a marginal success or a total failure in his eyes.

"Walk with me for a moment, Euphie," he invited, reaching for her hand in an attempt to soften the blow. She let him have it, and followed him out of the room at once.

"Did you like it? The party? The present? Are you happy?" Euphemia asked quickly, her pace slowing down as she saw that he was not all that inclined to answer. "Please be happy, Lelouch," she whispered, her eyes growing damp. "Please?"

Lelouch often thought life would be easier, if only his heart were replaced with an unfeeling, unyielding cement block. But he was nowhere near that fortunate, so he could only sigh quietly as he drew Euphemia into his arms, holding her close but saying nothing as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I do appreciate this, Euphie," he said after several moments of silence. "But haven't I asked you repeatedly not to draw unnecessary attention to either of us?"

Her head snapped up. "I know! That's why I didn't invite anyone! I was very careful!"

"But why do this at all?" Lelouch asked. "I could have lived without a party."

Euphemia shook her head. "But you wouldn't have smiled. That's why."

He shook his head in mild disbelief. "All of this, just to see me smile?"

"This, and more," Euphemia murmured, reaching into her pocket. "I haven't given you my gift yet."

"It wasn't the party?"

"You don't really think I'm the type of person that would consider just throwing a party a gift, do you?"

Lelouch sighed. "No, I suppose not. But I don't like the idea of you spending money just to please me."

Euphemia grinned. "Your happiness would be worth all of my money, but this didn't cost me anything. I've had it for some time now, and I wanted to give it to you, but... I'm still not sure how you'll feel about it. Either way, it's rightfully yours."

Lelouch expected some kind of silly trinket, and so he was completely floored when Euphemia placed the object in his hand. "But this is..."

Euphemia said nothing, watching his face intently.

He also said nothing, his mouth working in silence as he stared down at the key to his mother's old Ganymede. Of course, Lelouch had seen it many times, and knew at a glance that this was merely a copy, which wouldn't work in the actual Ganymede. That, however, wasn't the point. For dangling from the end of the key by a silver chain was a simple, round locket which contained a picture of his mother's face.

"It's silly, really," Euphemia whispered, looking at the floor. "I wanted to be just like her when I was little, so she gave me this. But when Cornelia found out, she took it away. She said piloting a Knightmare was too dangerous for me, and no matter how much I begged, she wouldn't give it back. But after... everything, Cornelia returned it to me. And though I was happy to have it back, I no longer truly felt like it was mine. So I thought I should give it to you."

Lelouch slowly closed his fingers around the key, feeling the locket thump lightly against the back of his hand. It was clear to him that this key and locket meant the world to Euphemia, and she had given it to him on the slim chance that it might ease his pain. It was the sort of winning strategy that only Euphemia could come up with, and so far, he had been defeated utterly by her pure and loving heart each time. But he had to admit, however reluctantly, that losing to Euphemia somehow always felt better than winning.

"Euphie," he said at last, keeping his eyes trained on the locket. "You are... indescribable. For that, and many other reasons, you will forever remain my treasured, yet most frustrating sister." Lelouch slowly raised his eyes to hers and forced himself to smile faintly. "Thank you."

Had he not known her better, Lelouch might have mistaken the way her eyes misted over as sadness. Instead, he was fully prepared when Euphemia rushed into his waiting arms.

"I'm so glad you like it, Lelouch," she sniffled, burying her head against his shoulder again.

His smile became a bit more genuine as he reached up to stroke her hair. "So am I." He truly did not like being angry with Euphemia, no matter how often she mistakenly made him feel that way. Her reasoning was improving, at least, but they would have to work on her implementation. There would be plenty of time for that later, he knew. If there was one thing he had always known about her, Euphemia was definitely the clingy type, and she wouldn't be going anywhere.

* * *

Kallen had only taken one step into her home when her path was blocked by the seething face of her stepmother.

"That clumsy maid has barricaded herself in your room for the whole night! I demand that you drag her out of there this instant!"

Anything else the woman said, Kallen automatically ignored: she'd caught the main idea. Despite feeling strangely energized on the mission, she was very tired now, and in no mood to deal with either of her mothers. But she would not be able to sleep with her birth mother in the room; that would be beyond uncomfortable.

But as Kallen neared her room, a feeling of dread began to settle over her. Of all the places her mother sometimes did hide, Kallen's room was never one of them. She knew how much Kallen hated people moving her belongings, and never dared to go there unless Kallen was present to watch her like a hawk. So what would drive her to go there while Kallen was out, and stay there the whole night?

The door was not locked, but there was obviously something blocking it. Kallen only needed one good push with her shoulder to get it open, and instantly wished she hadn't.

Her mother was lying facedown on the floor next to the bed, arms stretched out in front of her. Just beneath one of her hands was a small photo of Kallen and her late brother, Naoto. All around her on the floor were gleaming, empty vials, but Kallen knew at once what had been in them. She'd been seeing them all night.

"Damn you," Kallen whispered, falling to her knees and slowly turning the woman onto her back. With trembling hands, she checked everywhere she could think of for a pulse, always doing her best to ignore how cold her mother's skin felt. Ten minutes had passed before she finally accepted that there wasn't a pulse to be found.

The first thing that Kallen felt upon that realization was anger. She snatched up the photo, shoving it into her pocket as she went over to the phone and called the police. She was polite but purposely vague, saying that someone in her home had died without warning. After providing the address, she hung up, packed a few things into a suitcase, and walked out of the back door without a word to anyone. There was no need to come back for anything, ever, as everything that truly mattered to her was locked away in the Black Knights' base, in a locker right next to Ohgi's.

Kallen walked, not really seeing anything in front of her, until she arrived at her destination, and raised her hand to knock.

The door opened abruptly, and C.C. stared out her, almost expectantly, it seemed to Kallen.

"You're staying here now," C.C. said.

It sounded less like a question and more like a statement of fact, so Kallen nodded.

C.C. nodded as well, opening the door wider. "You should talk to Nunnally before you go to bed. She's been expecting your call."

Kallen nodded again, saying nothing as she walked inside. She noticed Lelouch talking to a girl she didn't quite recognize, although at any other time, she would've been interested to know that it was the same Euphie who had called Nunnally earlier. Presently, though, it didn't matter.

Nunnally was still awake in bed when Kallen entered her bedroom and set the suitcase down, but she said nothing until Kallen's hand slid over hers.

"I thought you were going to call?" Nunnally asked, but she did not sound upset.

"Something came up," Kallen replied, sitting beside her. "I'm going to stay here from now on."

"Really?" Nunnally sounded far more pleased now. "Why?"

"There is no reason not to, now. And I would be much happier if I were closer to you."

"I'm sure Lelouch would like that. He even suggested that I ask you to, once we were more comfortable with each other. But I'm glad you feel this way, Kallen."

"Yes," Kallen whispered, and something in the smile on Nunnally's face reminded her, with startling clarity, that both of their mothers were dead. The tears came then, and Kallen found she could not stop crying. Even Nunnally's gentle embrace only made her cry harder, but Kallen could think of no way to make Nunnally, or anyone else, understand that for the first time in a long time, the one person she wanted most was the very same that she had cast away long ago. The only difference was that her mother was no longer nearby and underfoot; she was just dead, and nothing else.

* * *

C.C. did not sleep that night. This was not because of the situation with Kallen, although she did still need to have a talk with her about many things.

No, it had more to do with the note she'd found on her (well, Lelouch's) bed, thankfully, before anyone else had. The handwriting alone told her all she needed to know, but the message had told her something she definitely would lose sleep over, eventually.

"Your little family is adorable. I may only kill one of them if you come back to me when I finally call for you. Until then, my darling C.C. Forever yours, Mao."

**End of Part 5.**

* * *

Endnotes:

How DID Arthur get his name? I just assume Suzaku named him, since Arthur is more his cat than anyone else's (even if you can't tell by the way they interact), although maybe it was someone else on the Student Council. And Arthur may not actually like Kallen that much, but he at least lets her pick him up without complaint.

I assume that Refrain can be fatal in cases of an overdose.

Mao probably won't show up for another few chapters, so don't get excited. I realize things are progressing a bit faster than you might expect, but I did say several times that I won't be following canon exactly. There'd be no point in that, after all.


	6. Gaheris, Schneizel's Secret Weapon

Notes: This chapter draws from Season 1 episodes "Guren Dances" and "Battle for Narita." Kallen already has the Guren as of last chapter, and there is a reason for that. Also, there are several elements in this chapter being introduced earlier than in canon, but again, there is a reason for that.

Chapter Summary: Lady Kaguya unknowingly leads Suzaku to Zero's secret. Euphemia enters the battlefield. Cornelia finds that her lost siblings may not be as dead as she once believed. Mao and Rolo form an uneasy partnership. Schneizel deploys a dangerous new Knightmare. The rift between Cornelia and Euphemia grows wider.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 6: Gaheris, Schneizel's Secret Weapon**

* * *

Suzaku could barely contain his confusion and fury as he stared out of the window of his temporary quarters. A surprise letter from his cousin, Lady Kaguya of Sumeragi House, had left quite a bitter taste in his mouth. Kaguya had always been impatient and strong-willed, but she had simply gone too far this time. For one thing, if Britannian intelligence had opened the letter, Kaguya would have been executed for treason at the very least. But as far as Suzaku knew, the man who had brought him the letter was a fellow Honorary Britannian, with truly no more loyalty to the empire than... well, a Japanese rebel, if the smug look on his face had been any indication.

There was just no telling how deep Kaguya's treachery against Britannia ran, but Suzaku certainly had a much better idea now.

"My beloved Suzaku," she had written, "after careful consideration, I have placed a certain tool in the hands of the man that saved your life. I beg you to stand back and watch what he does with it. Let him show you that there is still some value in resisting. I now believe that Japan can only be freed by his hands."

"You always expect the impossible of me, Kaguya," Suzaku whispered, running his hands through his hair. "To think that you would help Zero, of all people. His way isn't the way to restore Japan. It can't be..."

There was a sharp knock on the door. "Time to move out, Major Kururugi," Darlton barked. "Princess Cornelia asked for you specifically."

Suzaku sighed as he walked to the door and opened it. "We're going after more terrorists?" he guessed.

"Not just any terrorists. Intelligence has located Tohdoh in Narita. You're going to help us make this the JLF's final battle."

Suzaku could only stare in obvious shock. Suddenly, his way of restoring Japan didn't seem all that hopeful, either.

* * *

The Stadtfelds were predictably slow to react to Kallen's moving out, if they ever did in the first place. Her father was away on business most of the time, so it was impossible to know if he'd even been informed. Her stepmother probably didn't care either way.

At any rate, Kallen was in no mood to go to school, so Lelouch and Milly talked to the principal for her. In the end, Kallen was given a week off from school to grieve, but she was required to come in herself if she wanted to acquire any further days off.

Kallen didn't appear to be grieving much, though. She was much more withdrawn, to be sure, but now poured all of her energy into protecting Nunnally from all threats, real or imagined. It kept her busy, at least, which was better for everyone involved. But it was clear that Kallen was still attempting to recover from her mother's death. No one really knew how to approach her, as no one had lost their mother in quite the same way (or if they had, they weren't comfortable discussing it).

Amazingly enough, it was C.C. who finally decided to do something about the situation. With no warning at all, she simply grabbed Kallen's hand one day and dragged her into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, C.C. came out again, dragging an unconscious Kallen with her, although there wasn't a mark on either one. "Let her rest," was all C.C. said to anyone who asked. "She must come to terms with the state of her life now."

Lelouch had his suspicions, especially when Kallen slept for almost a whole day, but C.C. kept conveniently going missing whenever he tried to question her. That was odd in itself, because usually she would just ignore him if she didn't want to answer questions. That C.C. would go to the trouble of actually leaving indicated that more was bothering her, beyond his need to have his questions answered. But a quick call to Pizza Hut confirmed that, yes, they were still in business and delivering, which exhausted all of Lelouch's hunches.

All he knew for sure was that the next time he saw Kallen, it was when she stood before Zero, more eager to enter battle than ever before. He had some reservations about allowing it, but Kallen was still their best pilot, and going to Narita without her was almost as dangerous as going without his mask. C.C. expressed no concerns about Kallen taking part, which she certainly would've done if she thought Kallen would be a liability.

Based on the profile of Kallen that he and C.C. had compiled in the past few days, Lelouch felt somewhat better about trusting her to remain loyal, at least for now. C.C. had even stated that giving Kallen a Geass was a definite possibility, though she'd given him no sign that she'd given the matter any further thought. Lelouch hadn't expected her to, either: Geass contracts were private matters between C.C. and whomever she blessed (or cursed) with them. Although since she was eating nearly her own weight in pizza every week, a little warning would've been nice.

* * *

"Which one of these little lights is the Lancelot?" Euphemia asked, leaning forward slightly as she peered at the display screen.

Lloyd made a half-hearted gesture with his hand. "The boring one. You know, the one that isn't moving at all." He sounded thoroughly disappointed, as if someone had taken away his favorite toy. "Honestly, deploying a unit and then not even using it. Shameful, is what it is..."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Euphemia sighed, pouting a bit. She was gradually becoming more and more agitated with her older sister's attitude as of late. This time, Cornelia had provided Euphemia with her very own command center... so long as she didn't actually give any commands, or do anything at all, for that matter. It was rather silly, frankly, and positively annoying. Cornelia probably thought that all the fancy displays and a group of eager yes-men would fascinate Euphemia until the battle was over.

It was only when Cecile was serving a third round of tea that an idea struck the pink-haired princess.

"Earl Asplund," she murmured, drawing Lloyd's wavering attention, "I once heard my brother Schneizel say that you operate outside the typical command structure. Exactly how true is that?"

Lloyd blinked, a faint smile forming on his lips. "To date, we only seem to take orders from members of the Imperial Family. Prince Schneizel funds us, of course, so I could hardly refuse an order from him..."

"And if I was to ask you to do something?" Euphemia added, smiling hopefully at him. "Nicely, of course."

"Well, normally I might say that it was a conflict of interest, but since you ARE asking nicely..."

"Oh, no! No, no, NO!" Cecile cried, recognizing the look in her superior's eyes. "We can't disobey a direct order from Princess Cornelia!"

"Now, now, you must not think of it that way!" Lloyd disagreed. "We are not defying the Second Princess. We are merely... granting a request of the Third Princess, with the Second Prince's blessing. I know he wouldn't like the idea of a product of his funding merely collecting dust. So it's practically a ringing endorsement from two members of the Imperial Family!"

"Practically," Cecile groaned, "but not actually..."

But Euphemia had already opened a channel to the Lancelot. "No time for napping, Suzaku!"

There was a pause, and then: "Euphie, what are you-"

"OHHH!" Lloyd gasped, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Such a familiar way to address the Second Princess!"

By then, Cecile had brought up a visual, just in time to catch a red-faced Suzaku staring back at them.

"I'm not... it wasn't..." Suzaku finally gave up and hung his head. "Did you want something, Euphie?"

She couldn't help giggling. "Yes. I want you to return to the command center. Don't worry, you won't be here very long."

Suzaku stared at her uncertainly. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I've told you everything I would deem necessary knowledge for this task. As my Knight, I expect you to obey," Euphemia replied simply.

"But every time you ask me to do something as your Knight, it's usually something I wouldn't do otherwise..."

She grinned at him. "All the more reason for me to make it an order, Suzaku."

* * *

Almost every member of the Black Knights held their breath as the world itself seemed to tremble violently around them.

That the Guren's manmade landslide was aided in part by Penetrating Electrode Number 3 was easily forgotten. All eyes were on the powerful red Knightmare, and especially its pilot.

It was common knowledge now among the Black Knights that Kallen's mother was dead, but Ohgi had insisted that no one confront her about it, even to offer comfort. She was dealing with it in her own way, and distracting her might ruin everything. Kallen had never been one to share her private pain, not once in all the time that he'd known her. Only her late brother Naoto had ever managed to reach her when she was truly depressed, and Ohgi had gotten to the point where Kallen saw him as an acceptable replacement. But all that really meant was that in the unlikely event that Kallen decided to open up, she might go to him first.

At the moment, however, Kallen's mind was only on what Zero had commanded her to do.

"Time to go," she murmured, urging the Guren forward and down the mountain. She flicked her gaze over to the com unit, and without really knowing why, switched it to the Emergency Only channel. Normally, Kallen wanted to know everything that happened in a battle, but today she felt it would only serve to distract her. The only voices she wanted reaching her were those with the most urgent news.

She had too many voices in her head as it was.

It had all started with that very odd meeting with C.C. in the bathroom...

* * *

_"What is more important to you, Kallen? Winning this war, or ensuring Nunnally's survival?"_

_It was a test, Kallen had known at once. But a test from Zero, or just from C.C.? There was no way to be sure. But in this case, the answer she'd given was the safest either way._

_"The two are interconnected. Neither is possible without the other."_

_If C.C. had been impressed, she hadn't shown it just then. "Where would you say your place is? On the battlefield, or at Nunnally's side?"_

_"Whichever allows me to best protect her at any given moment."_

_"Who do you serve: Nunnally or Zero?"_

_That one had taken some thought, but not much. "Only Zero may command me. Only Nunnally may ask anything of me."_

_The test ended there, but that was when things really started getting weird._

_"This is a war that cannot be won by those armed only with the conventional weapons of man," C.C. said, sounding just like a teacher. "If you intend to survive, you must embrace a power that exists outside of the rules of war, man, and morality. You must dare to wield the power of the gods, without losing your soul in the process."_

_Kallen stared at her hard. "You're not a delivery girl or a whore, are you?"_

_C.C.'s reaction was rather tame: she blinked. "It would be fair to call me a messenger. And if you are in need of such services, I've seen a few girls on campus that seem as if they might be interested in-"_

_"No thanks, I'm good," Kallen murmured, blushing._

_"Very well. If you are prepared to risk your life for Nunnally, for Zero, for Japan, and for freedom, then I believe I can help you."_

_"And how can you help me?" Kallen asked skeptically. "All I've seen you do is eat pizza."_

_At that, C.C. smiled and extended her hand. "Just take my hand, Kallen, and all will be revealed in time."_

_Kallen still hadn't quite made up her mind about C.C. at that point, but was fairly sure that a mere handshake wouldn't kill either of them. So she was understandably shocked when it felt like her head had exploded. In truth, it was just a massive information download, or so C.C. later claimed. Kallen could recall certain disturbing images (especially that of C.C. being burned alive), but nothing she was tempted to call useful information._

_All Kallen knew for sure was that an instant after she touched C.C.'s hand, the world spun crazily, and she very nearly collapsed on the spot. But C.C., clearly expecting such a result, had caught her. And then she had whispered something that Kallen would remember clearly for the rest of her life._

_"Your resolve is impressive. Perhaps you will be the one to grant my wish instead..."_

* * *

"They're adorable, aren't they?"

Rolo gave no sign that the voice in his ear startled him. If anything, he'd been wondering when the person would finally approach him. He continued to watch Sayoko and Nunnally have tea out on the front lawn of the Student Council Clubhouse, an odd practice that he simply could not fathom.

"Well, you're no fun," the voice said, and then Rolo felt the unmistakable sensation of a gun being pressed into his back.

"Clearly," Rolo answered an instant later, now behind his visitor with a hunting knife pressed casually against the older boy's throat.

"You're an odd one. All I can see in your mind is death, but clearly you're thinking of other things that I can't pick up. Is that part of your Geass?"

Rolo blinked, this having never occurred to him. Perhaps it was even possible for his very thoughts to exist outside of time. "Maybe. Is asking questions part of your Geass?"

"Not mine, no," the visitor chuckled, glancing over his shoulder. "The name is Mao, and you are Rolo, yes?"

"You intend to kill them?" Rolo asked, nodding towards Nunnally and Sayoko.

"No. Not right now, at least. Maybe later, if I get bored waiting for C.C. to return."

"If she's all you want, then I have proposition for you."

Mao arched an eyebrow behind his dark violet visor. "I'm listening."

"I'm only meant to watch them for the time being. But every day, there seems to be a new person to watch. It's growing... tedious. I wouldn't mind if a few died here and there."

"I know exactly what you mean," Mao replied, grinning at him. "So, partners?"

Rolo stared at him for a long moment, and when he did reply, Mao echoed his words exactly, without having to read his mind.

"For now."

* * *

Shirley walked away from the Stadtfeld home with a renewed sense of purpose, however misguided it may have been.

Her feelings for Kallen, at present, were far beyond mere dislike. Now, she was convinced that Kallen was pure evil, and with good reason.

Mrs. Stadtfeld had not exactly been an unbiased source, but she had gone on and on about how troublesome it was, having Kallen and the maid stay with them. It was only later that Shirley realized that the maid was actually Kallen's mother, and that both were no longer living in the house, one more than the other.

Despite her initial concerns, Shirley hadn't really wanted to connect Kallen to her own mother's death, but the clues were there. Mrs. Stadtfeld wouldn't say exactly how the maid had died, only that she had done so in Kallen's room. And Shirley had seen enough of Kallen's violent temper to know that a mere maid wouldn't last more than a second if the redhead became furious.

But even then, Shirley told herself that she wasn't doing this for revenge. She was doing it to get Lelouch and poor Nunnally away from Kallen, before something absolutely terrible happened to one of them. In the end, they would thank her for saving them, and accept her back into their lives.

And if Lelouch happened to realize, somewhere along the way, that Shirley had been the one for him all along, that was just an added bonus.

Shirley even knew exactly where to start: she knew where her father hid the key to the locked cabinet in his office, which held an old service pistol he'd gotten from a friend in the military. He had always said that it was to be used in defense of their home, and Shirley was convinced that this fell under that heading. She would be lost without Lelouch and Nunnally in her life, and she would do anything to hang onto them, even if meant taking Kallen out of the picture permanently.

* * *

Cornelia was having an extremely bad day.

If the reports still pouring in were true, she'd lost over half of her forces in just a few minutes, and to a single attack, no less. Granted, it was a landslide, but she had thought her men were made of tougher stuff than that.

Then the JLF had ambushed her remaining squadrons, and Cornelia was still uncertain as to how they were managing it. Even with her losses, she had thought she had more than enough Knightmares to simply overwhelm the JLF. But either her men were getting incredibly sloppy, or the Elevens were getting better. Many units had been lost to a single group of five customized Burais, one of which was confirmed to be Tohdoh. They specialized in hit and run attacks, which were turning out to be incredibly effective. Cornelia was far more used to bulldozing her opponents, who usually either froze or panicked at the distinctive sight of her Gloucester.

But Cornelia was having the opposite effect on Tohdoh's group: the moment they caught sight of her, they pursued her relentlessly, even daring to clash directly with Guilford to do so. Somewhere along the way, they had lost any and all fear of losing to Britannian forces. Now, there was only a desire to win at all costs.

Guilford had already asked repeatedly that she escape, but the Burais were doing an excellent job of keeping her boxed in with him and the other men. Anyway, Cornelia was in no mood to run. She had every intention of still fighting her way out. That is, until the startlingly calm voice of Suzaku Kururugi came over her frequency.

"Princess Cornelia. The landslide that claimed most of your forces was caused by the Black Knights. I'm presently engaging them."

"Kururugi!" Cornelia spat, narrowing her eyes. "Under whose orders are you acting?!"

"Mine, Viceroy," came the steady voice of Euphemia. "Because the older sister that I know would never leave a valuable piece off of the board entirely, not when it could be saving the lives of Britannian soldiers. No one's pride is worth that much."

Cornelia said nothing, far too furious to form words.

"Princess Euphemia!" Guilford shouted, outrage clear in his tone. "Why are you not in the command center?! As the Viceroy's Knight, I demand that you tell us precisely where you are this instant!"

"She's with me," Suzaku said, almost reluctantly, "and under her orders, we're going after Zero."

* * *

"Tohdoh and the Holy Swords have Cornelia pinned down, but true to her nature, she's resisting to the last. Kallen, I want her taken alive. Make sure the JLF doesn't go too far again."

"Understood, Zero," Kallen replied, wincing as she felt a fresh stab of discomfort in her forehead. For the past ten minutes, she'd been having strange visions, and while they were growing less frequent, they were also getting much more detailed. Amazingly enough, she hadn't crashed the Guren yet, and in fact piloting red Knightmare was becoming far easier than she'd first imagined. Her hands just seemed to know where to take it, even if she was having a daydream at the time. But the dreams had to be far more than that, because some of the people in them were total strangers to Kallen.

In the latest, she'd seen a blond, brown-skinned woman with a pipe and Lady Kaguya of the NAC standing before the Guren.

_"You really are a genius, Rakshata," Lady Kaguya said, carefully running her hand over the Guren's foot. "Only you could build a Knightmare this effective, and manage to make it look gorgeous as well."_

_"I am a very picky mother," Rakshata replied. "I only produce beautiful children."_

_"I agree, but I'm placing all of my hopes in this one. I think the Guren Mk-II will become synonymous with beauty and power one day."_

_"Don't be silly. It already is, of course."_

Kallen didn't know what to make of it, but there was no time to worry about such things at the moment. She forced all other thoughts out of her mind as the Guren burst from a line of trees and closed in on the five custom Burais circling Cornelia and her men. She didn't want to rub the JLF the wrong way, but she also couldn't let them interfere with her mission. It was best, she decided, to announce her intentions right away.

"By order of Zero, the Black Knights will apprehend Cornelia li Britannia!"

The nearest Burai wheeled around to face her, its heated chain sword blazing in warning. "Back off!" a feminine voice snapped. "Cornelia will fall to the-"

"Chiba!" barked a voice from the lead Burai. "Stand down. She is not our enemy, yet. Cornelia is more valuable to all of us alive. Once she's dead, she's just a body."

"I'll show you just a body!" Cornelia snarled. Her horned Gloucester slipped past one Burai, dodged a swipe from another, and bore down on the lead Burai with the lance poised for a fatal strike.

"No, Viceroy!" Guilford shouted, rushing to stop her. "It's too dangerous!"

Kallen and Chiba had never met, and certainly never worked together, but they moved as one to achieve their goals. Chiba's Burai darted forward, nearly impaling itself on Cornelia's lance, but spinning aside at the last moment, its sword slicing off the Gloucester's lance-wielding arm at the elbow. Kallen closed in next, the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger already activated as the blazing claw reached for the Gloucester's head. But Guilford was a second faster, his Knightmare taking the blow intended for the Second Princess and losing its head in the process. Despite missing her target, Kallen knew she couldn't pass up a chance to take down Cornelia's Knight. And even if she'd had any doubts, the lead Burai made the choice for her, driving its sword directly through Guilford's cockpit.

There was a brief, tense silence: perhaps a momentary show of respect for a soldier giving his life for his cause, or possibly just shock that a Knight had fallen.

Then Cornelia's screams of rage assaulted all ears present. Her Gloucester plowed into Chiba's Burai, sending both Knightmares tumbling to the ground.

Kallen gave a final glance to the ruined head in the Guren's claws before tossing it away. So long as Cornelia could still fight, there was work to be done.

* * *

Seated within his Burai, Zero was carefully regarding each report of success with cautious optimism. The battle was going well, and with any luck, they would keep losses to a minimum. If everything went according to plan, he'd be questioning Cornelia before the day was through.

"Zero, we got trouble!" Ohgi shouted abruptly over the radio. "Britannia's got a monster!"

"What kind of monster?" Zero asked, frowning beneath his mask.

"I don't know, but it wiped out six Knightmares in one shot, and it's moving towards Kallen and the JLF!"

"They must be trying to retrieve Cornelia," Zero muttered. "What does it look like?" he asked aloud.

"Nobody knows! All we've seen so far is this huge beam of red and black that wipes out anything in its path!"

Although he had no idea what type of weaponry he was dealing with, Lelouch already knew who had to be responsible.

"Schneizel!"

* * *

"Gaheris: HCO, you may proceed," Prince Schneizel said over the com unit. "Under no circumstances are the rebels to be allowed to capture Princess Cornelia. I want her brought safely to the Avalon. Destroy anything in your way."

The pilot of the prototype Knightmare glanced at the status of her armaments before responding. "Understood, Your Highness. Gaheris: Hadron Cannon Optimized, now proceeding."

"Excellent. I have complete faith in your ability to succeed."

* * *

"It can't end like this," Cornelia whispered, her voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. "It just can't..."

But all of her sensors were telling her the same thing: the JLF's Burais and the red Knightmare from the Black Knights had cornered her, and her own Gloucester was already missing both arms. There was just no way she could escape them. They wouldn't kill her outright, she knew, but there were so many things worse than death in her mind.

She was just as surprised as they were when a beam of violent light flew just over her head, sending her foes into a desperate scramble to escape. Cornelia stared at her readings, but her sensors had picked up no other units in the area. But clearly, they were wrong, as her com unit crackled to life a moment later.

"Princess Cornelia, I am the pilot of the prototype Gaheris. I have orders from Prince Schneizel to escort you safely to the Avalon. Will you allow this?"

Her eyes wide, Cornelia checked a second time, but no new Knightmare had appeared within the range of her sensors. "Where are you?" she asked.

"Approximately ten feet behind you, Your Highness. The Gaheris is equipped with advanced cloaking technology. It cannot be detected until it fires. Anything it fires on ceases to exist."

There could be no doubt of that, not with a sizzling trench just a few feet in front of Cornelia. "Y-Yes, I'll go with you."

"Please proceed northwest towards the Avalon, Your Highness. I will clear the path for you."

Cornelia watched in awed horror as a red and black ball seemed to form in mid-air before exploding forward, carving out a long, clear path of what she could only think of now as very dead ground. She almost felt sorry for the JLF and the Black Knights, for having to face such an invisible, destructive force.

Almost.

* * *

"SCATTER!!!" Tohdoh roared as another beam of red and black almost reduced he and the Holy Swords to little more than memories.

"We can't keep this up, sir!" Chiba gasped. "Sooner or later, it HAS to hit us!"

Tohdoh knew she was right, but they'd been so close to capturing Cornelia... or at least, handing her over to Zero. He still wasn't sure what it would've come to in the end.

"Go! I'll cover you! Leave this to me!" a voice shouted. He was startled to realize it was the pilot of the red Knightmare.

He shook his head in disbelief. "You can't take a hit from that thing, either!"

"I don't plan to," the pilot replied smugly.

"Tell me your name," Tohdoh demanded. "I always repay an honorable debt such as this."

"I thought I told you. I'm Zero's Ace." With that, the red Knightmare sped off towards certain defeat, in their eyes, at least.

"That's one debt you won't have to repay, sir," Chiba muttered. "She's dead for sure."

"Maybe not," Tohdoh murmured, smirking. "Maybe not..."

* * *

The pilot of the Gaheris was not impressed by the sight of a lone, red Knightmare racing towards her. From what she'd seen so far, she had little to fear from it. There was no way for it to grab onto what it couldn't detect, at least until the Gaheris fired, and then the red Knightmare would be too busy dodging.

Only it didn't quite work out that way.

Once the Gaheris was a safe distance away, the pilot fired again, attacking from the rear.

In a seemingly impossible show of agility, the red Knightmare backflipped into the air, coming down right on top of the Gaheris with a blazing right hook.

Alarms filled the cockpit of the Gaheris as the advanced cloaking system flickered and began to die, overloaded by the extreme heat of the blow. It was all that the pilot could do to toss the red Knightmare off of her back. For all of its offensive capability, the Gaheris had relied almost entirely on cloaking for defense. But it was a shining example of how the best defense is sometimes overwhelming offense, and proceeded to prove this by separating the chest-mounted Hadron Cannon and firing two energy beams at once.

The red Knightmare performed another fantastic leap to avoid the shots, but by the time it landed, the Gaheris was gone. Pursuit was no longer an option, either: both the JLF and the Black Knights were in full retreat.

* * *

With Kallen out securing Cornelia, Zero had held back several Sutherlands to act as his bodyguards.

They'd lasted maybe a minute against the Lancelot, which was actually a little longer than he'd expected. Clearly, the pilot was going out of his way to avoid killing his foes when disarming them, a silly but interesting quirk. But once Zero's Burai was the only other Knightmare left standing, the reason for this became clear.

"Zero, this is Princess Euphemia li Britannia. I have come to surrender myself to you."

Of all the possible scenarios running through Zero's mind, that simply wasn't one of them. But this was immediately followed by a startling realization. "She knows!" Zero's hands tightened on the Burai's controls as Euphemia was slowly lowered to the ground on the Lancelot's dropline. He had no choice but to take her hostage now, if for no other reason than to keep her safe. And as there was only one person Euphemia would trust her safety to, that meant Suzaku had to be the Lancelot's pilot, yet another thorn in Zero's side.

This was not how he'd wanted things to proceed. Zero had always intended to bring Euphemia over to his side, but that wasn't meant to happen until much later. Now he would have to offer a convincing excuse to the Black Knights, who were more likely to want Euphemia tortured for information. Fortunately, Euphemia had never displayed any obviously anti-Japanese sentiments the way Cornelia did on a daily basis, so perhaps there was a chance.

There was a more immediate problem, though: with Euphemia in his own hands, that would leave Suzaku following someone else's orders. And Zero knew that Suzaku was just foolish and stubborn enough to go on attacking them, if and when he was ordered to.

* * *

It took everything Suzaku had to simply sit there and watch Euphemia walk towards Zero's Burai. She had asked him repeatedly to trust her, and promised that Zero wouldn't hurt her. But she had offered no reason for any of it, and the idea that she was willingly walking to her doom made his blood boil. There should not have been a need for such sacrifice. Why was it that women close to him seemed to trust Zero? First Kaguya, and now Euphemia. It made no sense at all. What reason could they possibly have to believe in him? Did they even know any of the same people?

With a start, Suzaku recalled that they did. They both knew him, Lelouch, and Nunnally.

Something made him come back to Lelouch's name a second time, and the blood drained from Suzaku's face as he began to connect the dots. Kaguya had always been impressed by the strength of Lelouch's will. Euphemia's determination to find Zero had become less like righteous anger recently, and more like sisterly concern. The green-haired girl from Shinjuku had been working for Lelouch, most likely because it had been his terrorist activities that had freed her in the first place.

He didn't want to believe it. But Euphemia was about to walk right into Zero's hands, and if Zero wasn't Lelouch, then she would end up dead like Clovis. If Zero was Lelouch, though, Euphemia would be safe, and Suzaku would still be forced to accept that his best friend was a murdering madman.

Suzaku began to panic as Euphemia got closer to Zero's Burai. He couldn't just sit by and allow this. Not without some confirmation that Zero was Lelouch, and more importantly, that Euphemia would be protected. So he did the only thing he could think of at the moment.

* * *

At that very moment, Cornelia stood aboard her brother Schneizel's Avalon, frantically trying to reach the Lancelot. For the last several minutes, the white Knightmare had been refusing all radio contact, and the Second Princess was nearly at her wit's end. She'd already lost her Knight, and she was not about to lose her younger sister as well.

Without warning, the Lancelot's radio turned on. Cornelia was just about to scream at the pilot to tell her what he was thinking, but he did so without being ordered.

"LELOUCH!!!"

Cornelia's blood ran cold at the heart-rending cry. Her legs threatened to buckle as visions of her late brother swam before her eyes. It just wasn't a common name in Britannia, partially out of respect to Lelouch's memory, no doubt. So why was Kururugi shouting it in the middle of a battle?

* * *

"Your foolishness never ends, Suzaku," Zero cursed, shaking his head. It would be inconvenient for Suzaku to know his identity, but trying to take Euphemia without revealing himself could prove problematic.

Euphemia clearly knew this as well, because she had stopped approaching, glancing uncertainly between the two Knightmares.

The decision was taken out of their hands by the simultaneous arrival by two red Knightmares: the Guren, and a maroon Gloucester. An instant later, panels slid open in the Gloucester's chest, revealing multiple machine gun barrels. It opened fire on Zero's Burai, and he was forced to retreat as the Guren moved to intercept.

Amazingly, the Gloucester avoided the Guren's first attack and sped towards a startled Euphemia, who had little choice but to climb into its hand when it reached for her. With that, the Gloucester turned and retreated itself.

Zero was still stunned when the Lancelot rushed him, having no further reason to hold back. This time, the Guren intercepted successfully, landing a massive punch to the white Knightmare's chest. The Lancelot backpedaled, but stayed upright.

"Make sure he can't follow us, Q-1," Zero ordered. "He's caused enough trouble for one day."

Oddly, there was no response from the Guren. Zero was about to repeat the order when Guren reached out, and, with little warning, shoved his Burai backwards. He almost thought it was an attack, but noticed at once that the Guren had been staring down the Lancelot the entire time. Taking the hint, Zero turned his Burai around and sped away. A moment later, there was a loud explosion, and soon after that, the Guren rejoined him.

"How did you manage to get away from him?" Zero asked. Again, there was no response. Frowning, Lelouch opened a visual feed to the Guren, and was completely shocked by what he saw.

Kallen was draped carelessly over the Guren's seat, clearly unconcious, even as the Guren continued to keep pace with him. As Zero watched, the redhead groaned and opened her eyes, blinking slowly before shaking her head and looking towards the camera. "Zero? What happened? I know I was fighting the Lancelot, but why do I feel like I was dreaming?"

Zero didn't answer. He couldn't. He was far too busy staring at Kallen's left eye, which was glowing with the familiar bird-shaped sigil of Geass.

* * *

Suzaku stared blankly ahead as he climbed out of his cockpit, ignoring Lloyd's frantic wails as the total damage to the Lancelot was assessed. It had lost its left arm for certain, and there was considerable damage to the rest of the frame as well.

In those last few moments, it was as if the red Knightmare had switched pilots before his eyes. Its speed and strength seemed to have doubled, and before Suzaku had been able to even think of a possible counterattack, he'd lost the battle.

He'd never seen a Knightmare move like that. It was as if there'd been no distinction between the Knightmare its pilot. There was no doubt in Suzaku's mind that if the pilot had wanted him dead, he'd be dead. But he'd been spared: the red Knightmare had only grabbed the Lancelot's hand before unleashing the extreme amount of heat. Any higher on the arm, and Suzaku's chances of survival would've decreased immensely.

For the first time, Suzaku was forced to admit that however misguided Zero might be, he definitely had amazing resources to draw upon, if he could obtain a pilot of such obvious skill.

* * *

"I will NOT apologize!" Euphemia shouted, glaring up at her older sister. "You were just going to have Suzaku sit there, when he's easily one of the best pilots you had here today!"

Cornelia glared back at her. "So was Guilford, and he's dead."

That made Euphemia falter momentarily. Guilford often took himself too seriously, but he had always treated her with respect and kindness. It bothered her that he was gone, but she brushed the news aside as best she could. "Even more proof that you weren't making the best use of the available units!"

Something dark flashed in Cornelia's eyes. "Are you saying," she said quietly, clenching her fists at her sides, "that it's MY fault Guilford is dead?"

"I'm only saying that if Suzaku had been there-"

"That we would've focused all efforts on getting him out of there, because YOU were with him!" Cornelia snapped. "That would've only cost us more units! You have no idea how many lives you jeopardized with your impulsive actions, Euphemia!"

Euphemia knew what she would say next was going too far, but it beared remembering. "I didn't lose anyone under my command, Viceroy."

Schneizel and Suzaku entered the room just in time to see Cornelia slap Euphemia hard enough to drive her to the floor.

"I strip you of your title. From now on, you are no longer Sub-Viceroy," Cornelia whispered. "And bear in mind that the only reason you remain a princess of Britannia, after speaking to me that way, is the blood that we share."

"We don't share any blood," Euphemia spat. "The Cornelia I loved never would've struck me. And if my being a princess is so important to you, you can have that back, too!"

"Don't say anything more that you'll regret later, either of you," Schneizel warned. "Kururugi, why don't you see that Euphemia gets cleaned up?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Suzaku replied, hesitantly approaching Euphemia and helping her up. He froze at seeing a thin trickle of blood near the corner of her mouth. "Euphie, you're bleeding..."

"I'm fine," Euphemia snapped. She instantly blinked and sighed. "I'm sorry, Suzaku. I just need to rest and clear my head."

"I can relate," Suzaku murmured, carefully wiping the blood from her mouth with his thumb. He was rewarded with a bright smile that completely made him forget that Schneizel and Cornelia were even in the room.

Cornelia couldn't help feeling jealous as she watched them. As far as she was concerned, Guilford should be alive, while Elevens like Kururugi died in battle. She was briefly distracted by the appearance of a short, pink-haired girl carrying a small stack of papers. The girl walked right up to Schneizel in such a familiar way that Cornelia was both shocked and offended for him.

"I have prepared the performance report for the Gaheris, Your Highness," the girl said abruptly, completely ignoring everything and everyone else in the room.

"So quickly?" Schneizel asked in surprise. "You never cease to amaze me, my dear."

Almost any other female would've blushed at such praise from Schneizel, but the girl didn't even blink.

"The Gaheris?" Cornelia interrupted. "Where is the pilot? I wanted to thank her personally."

Schneizel smiled. "Go right ahead," he said, gesturing to the girl.

Cornelia frowned. "I am in no mood for your games, brother."

"This is no game, my dear sister, I assure you," Schneizel replied, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "She is the pilot of the Gaheris. She also piloted the customized Gloucester that retrieved Euphemia. The Gaheris was admittedly a sitting duck without its cloaking, so I thought it wise to have a second Knightmare standing by, just in case."

It was clear from the suspicious look in Cornelia's eyes that she didn't know whether Schneizel was being truthful or not. The girl looked far too young to even be in the military, and she certainly had no business piloting a prototype.

Euphemia had seen enough, though. She walked over to them and offered the girl her hand. "Allow me to be the first to thank you for saving my life, Miss...?"

The girl stared at her offered hand for a few seconds before slowly taking it. "I am Anya Alstreim, one of Prince Schneizel's test pilots."

"Oh, what a lovely name!" Euphemia gushed.

Anya blinked. "Thank you," she replied, not sounding the least bit grateful.

"I have an excellent idea," Schneizel said, looking very pleased with himself. "Anya, why don't you accompany them for a while? Euphemia spent a great deal of time with Lady Marianne when she was younger, you know. I'm sure she has many stories she wouldn't mind sharing."

For the first time, Anya displayed something beyond neutrality: obvious interest.

"Of course I wouldn't mind!" Euphemia replied at once. "Any fan of Lady Marianne is a friend of mine!" She practically dragged Anya from the room, with an amused Suzaku right behind them.

"What was the point of that?" Cornelia asked.

"Twofold," Schneizel replied, glancing over the reports Anya had left him. "Anya can collect some information on Euphemia's recent changes in behavior, and with any luck, also calm her down a bit."

"And the other reason?"

"Anya actually is a fan. More than that, really. She even owns a pair of those awful Ganymede-print pajamas that never really took off. Actually wears them, too."

* * *

"You gave her a Geass."

C.C. didn't even look up from the book she was reading as Lelouch walked into his bedroom. "We agreed that I might at some point."

"Some warning would've been appreciated," Lelouch snapped.

"Duly noted," she murmured, still not looking at him.

"So what is it? What can Kallen do?"

"How should I know?" C.C. asked. "It's not as if I can choose who develops what power. The power itself seems to choose. Why didn't you just ask her?"

"Even she doesn't know. She thought she was dreaming, and she actually passed out in battle."

"The Guren was damaged, then?"

Lelouch frowned. "No, not really. She was asleep, but the Guren kept moving as if she was wide awake. It's... odd."

"It sounds more convenient that anything else. You don't have any reason to complain."

"With you, I can always find a reason. Even with Kallen's... upgrade, we still suffered several losses today. That Knightmare with the energy beam will need to be dealt with in the near future. And I still need to deal with Euphemia and Suzaku."

"Oh? Why the change in plans?"

"They know who I am."

C.C. put her book down. "That will present a problem. You could command Suzaku to forget, at least. You'd just need to phrase it carefully, so that he'd always forget."

"No," Lelouch sighed. "I may need to command him later, and at some point, I may actually need him to know. But I think it's safe to assume that Euphemia didn't tell him."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Yes and no. From her actions today, she's obviously trying to join the Black Knights. But now isn't the time, and that certainly wasn't the way. I may need to take further methods to keep her under control."

C.C. considered that for a moment before scoffing. "You won't do it."

He blinked and stared at her. "What makes you say that?"

"I've watched you with her. She's just a taller Nunnally to you. You won't be able to manipulate her so easily."

"It's not her I have to manipulate, and my Geass won't work on her, anyway. Perhaps I'll command Suzaku to ensure her safety. No, too broad. I'll need to word it carefully..."

"Tell him to protect her life with his own."

Lelouch paused. "A little morbid, isn't it?"

"Maybe." C.C. stared at him, unblinking. "But it'd be convenient for Zero, wouldn't it?"

He didn't answer her, less because it WOULD be convenient for Zero, and more because he was seriously, reluctantly, considering it.

**End of Part 6.**

* * * * *

**Next Chapter: A Killer's Contract**

While Zero makes a deal with Kyoto House, Nunnally and Kallen face multiple threats, in the form of Mao, Cornelia, and Shirley.

* * * * *

Endnotes:

I know, you're going to tell me that Rolo shouldn't be immune to Mao's Geass to any degree. But considering Rolo IS Rolo, and he seems to think about killing someone as often as most teenage boys think about sex (which is roughly about every two and a half seconds, if memory serves), this isn't as farfetched as you might think. And it's not that Mao isn't reading anything in Rolo's head, it's just that Rolo's head is so occupied with such thoughts that if Mao focused on him too much, he might forget all about manipulating people and just start killing them the first chance he got. Because Rolo is contagious (or maybe he got that from Lelouch).

Don't ask me what NAC stands for, I couldn't find it. Anyway, even if Kallen had never met Kaguya, chances are she would've seen her on TV enough to know her on sight. I don't know how familiar she would be with Kaguya's less than legal pursuits, however.

Presenting Kallen's brand-spanking new Geass: the Power of Absolute Consciousness. In a nutshell, Kallen can place her mind into nonliving objects. From there, she has complete control over the object, and is able to use it to the full extent of its abilities (for example: vehicles, Knightmares, guns). There are two known drawbacks: 1) her body is basically in a coma-like state during these times, so Kallen has no idea what its condition is until she returns to it (unless the object she's in has a way of monitoring that, anyway). 2) Kallen can pick up residual feelings imprinted on an object, which can result in painful psychic backlash. She must suppress any backlash before exerting her will on an object.

I know Gloucesters are more for hand-to-hand, so technically Anya wouldn't be the best choice to pilot one. She seems more the "shoot it till it's dead" type, so I suspect anything she piloted would have to have guns absolutely everywhere, or just one really big gun.

The first Knightmare that Anya pilots here is a prototype, and doesn't exist in canon. But you might be interested to know that in Aurthurian legend, Gaheris, Gawain, Gareth, and Mordred are all brothers.

Oh, and a quick question: what DO you call those ropes that the pilots use to reach their cockpits, and lower themselves to ground level? I went with dropline, but I suspect there are better names. I've been wondering since I first saw them in a Gundam series.


	7. A Killer's Contract

Notes: This chapter draws from the episodes, "Messenger from Kyoto" and "Cheering Mao."

Chapter Summary: Suzaku and Cornelia discuss Lelouch. Zero makes a pact with Kyoto. V.V. visits a friend. Nunnally is taken. Kaguya joins the Black Knights. Cornelia follows orders. Mao cheers.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 7: A Killer's Contract**

* * *

For most of their lives, Cornelia and Euphemia had eaten breakfast together. It was an unspoken tradition between them. Occasionally there was a need to reschedule, and when one had attended a separate school, they were forced to limit themselves to one or two shared meals in a month, but they always managed eventually. It was for this reason that Cornelia never addressed any business before she had breakfast, and Euphemia's schedule, while fairly light to begin with, almost never began before 9:30 AM.

So neither sister was quite surprised when Euphemia walked into Cornelia's office, sat down, and simply said, "Good morning," as if they hadn't had their biggest fight to date yesterday.

Cornelia made a noise that possibly could've passed for a grunt, if she'd put a bit more effort into it. She did not look away from the window she was facing, however.

It was Euphemia who broke the tense silence, more than anything because of the two, she felt the guiltiest.

"Viceroy..." she began, then shook her head lightly. "Cornelia. About what I said yesterday. I..."

"Yes?" Cornelia asked flatly, refusing to look at her.

"I shouldn't have... I didn't mean to..." Euphemia trailed off uncertainly, and them simply blurted out, "Guilford was my friend, and I miss him, too."

Cornelia paused, slowly turning to face her sister.

"I shouldn't have thrown him in your face like that, and I apologize. It wasn't fair, and-"

Cornelia waved her hand dismissively. "I know you would never purposely do something so cruel, Euphemia. It is behind us, now. But so long as you are apologizing, that was not the only thing you said that I took issue with."

Euphemia frowned at her. "I shouldn't have said it that way, but it needed to be said. I trust Suzaku with my life, and the least you could do-"

"How can he protect your life while he's in the heat of battle? It is his duty to stay by your side, unless otherwise ordered, and even then, those orders should only occur when you have sufficient protection in the meantime. He is never to take you into battle, especially not if you order it, because-"

"Why can't you just trust me?" Euphemia whispered sadly.

"I want to, but you insist on proving to me that your judgment is flawed," Cornelia answered. "You are not the first relative I have lost to lofty thinking, but I intend to see that Clovis was the last. I will protect you, even if it means your unhappiness. That is my right, both as your superior, and your older sister."

"You didn't used to be like this, sister."

"I could say the same for you."

There was a single, interrupted knock on the door before it opened, admitting Anya and a clearly panicked Suzaku.

"Anya, you can't just walk in on-!" Suzaku began.

"I have been ordered by Prince Schneizel to accompany the Second Princess and Major Kururugi to breakfast," Anya stated plainly. "With your permission, Viceroy?"

"Granted," Cornelia said at once, clearly having grown weary of the conversation.

Euphemia glared at her, but didn't resist when Anya seized her hand and practically dragged her from the room.

Suzaku lingered in the doorway, staring at Cornelia uneasily. "Your Highness, about yesterday. We were-"

Cornelia glared at him. "You knew my late brother."

Suzaku blinked, frowning. "Prince Clovis? I never-"

"Lelouch."

He paled. "Oh. Y-Yes."

"When?"

"Seven years ago. He and Nunnally were sent to Japan. My family-"

"You shouted his name yesterday. Why?"

Suzaku started to answer, then took another look at Cornelia's face. He could see now that she didn't believe him. Probably she thought that everything he'd told her so far was a lie. So what was one more?

"Princess Euphemia uses his name as a code word. It means to immediately retreat."

Cornelia's eyes narrowed. "My brother would NEVER retreat."

Suzaku smiled sadly. "I know," he whispered, startling Cornelia badly. "That's why she suggested it. Lelouch was brilliant and proud. He never gave in, not even a little. But Princess Euphemia believes that if he had learned to compromise, he might still be with you today."

* * *

"Something's bothering you."

C.C. blinked and pulled her gaze away from the van's rear window, only to find Zero assumedly staring at her. "And?"

He paused before continuing. "I know you have no real reason to confide in me, but we are partners, aren't we? Perhaps if you put your pride aside for a moment, you'll find that I can help you. If nothing else, I am willing to listen."

"How sweet," she remarked dryly. "I suppose now you're going to attempt to save me from myself?"

After another lengthy pause, Zero deliberately reached up to remove his helmet. C.C. quickly slapped his hand away.

"Don't be a fool," C.C. snapped. "Did you forget that Ohgi and Tamaki are right up front?"

"No. I was trying to show you that I'm serious, and that I'm not asking as Zero, but as your ally. Let me try to help you. It's the least I can do, considering all you've done."

She sighed and shook her head. "Did it even once occur to you that perhaps I am not the one in distress here? That maybe I am the one protecting you? I am immortal, and that means I've learned a few things about looking after myself."

"But it also means you've forgotten so much more about simply living. You've forgotten what it means to have a friend, someone who would willingly shield you from pain, even if you could survive it alone."

"And you are my friend?" she asked dubiously.

"At least I'm trying."

For some reason, his response left her uncomfortable. "Fine. There will be another Geass user targeting us in the near future, if he hasn't already. He is fixated on me, but he won't hesitate to use you or Nunnally in the process to get what he wants."

Zero reached up to tap the call button near his head. "Ohgi, how much longer until we reach our destination?"

"Another twenty minutes at least, Zero."

"Thank you." He then gave C.C. his full attention. "It would seem we have time for you to elaborate... my friend," he said calmly.

C.C. didn't want to say anything more, but she could practically feel Marianne breathing down her neck, insisting that she proceed. "His name is Mao..." she began.

* * *

Breakfast was proceeding normally (or as normally as any meal that involved Anya could) when it was loudly interrupted.

"Hey! There's my little buddy!"

Suzaku and Euphemia exchanged confused glances as a blond teenager strolled through the secluded restaurant over to their table, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Anya, slinging an overly friendly arm around her shoulders. Even more amazing, Anya completely ignored him, continuing to calmly sip her cocoa.

"Who ARE you?" Suzaku finally asked.

"Who, me? Gino Weinberg, at your service!"

Euphemia gaped at him, instantly recognizing the name. "You're the Knight of Three? But you're so... nice!"

"Aw, you're a real sweetheart, Princess!" Gino replied happily, winking at her.

Suzaku ignored that with some effort. "How do you know Anya?"

"Oh, we met in military school. She almost beat me a couple of times, too!"

"I defeated you on three separate occasions," Anya countered, checking her camera phone to be sure. "I made a note of it, since you so frequently forget."

"Eh heh heh..." Gino laughed weakly, squeezing her shoulders. "You could just eat her up with a spoon, couldn't you?"

"And you said you two are... friends?" Suzaku asked doubtfully. From what he'd seen, Anya hadn't had any friends, up until she'd met them. Even looking at her with Gino, he wondered if Gino had just failed to take the hint that Anya didn't care what he called himself.

"Sure we are! Right, little buddy?"

Anya gave Gino a long, measuring look. "Mmm."

"That's a 'yes' in Anya-speak," Gino assured them.

"I think it's sweet," Euphemia said. "So, how did you know we'd be here, Gino?"

Gino grinned. "That part was easy. Prince Schneizel is always looking for test pilots, and us young guys usually get offered the best spots first. I heard Anya was testing out a prototype for him, and naturally, I was jealous. I also wanted to make sure everything was safe, so I went over to check it out this morning. Prince Schneizel would only let me peek for a minute, but he did mention that you three were having breakfast here. And I just couldn't deny you the unmatched pleasure of my company!"

Euphemia thought that was funny; Suzaku and Anya didn't, though for entirely different reasons.

* * *

Taizo Kirihara was easily one of the most powerful men in the world, for two contrasting reasons. First, he owned the world's largest supply of sakuradite, and therefore was one of the few Japanese that could still demand to be acknowledged as such by Britannia. Secondly, the sale of sakuradite brought him huge profits, a great deal of which was invested into anti-Britannia resistance groups.

In short, Kirihara had lots of money, and lots of sakuradite, both of which he had no problem rewarding to those that insisted on remaining Japanese, and were willing to fight for that right.

It was rather inevitable that Zero and the Black Knights would request a meeting with him. This was, of course, partially Lady Kaguya's fault: Kirihara knew very well that she had impulsively given the Guren Mk-II to the Black Knights, complete with a greeting card expressing her desire to meet Zero in the near future. It was probably not the reason Zero had requested the meeting, but there was no convincing Kaguya of that.

The recent battle in Narita had definitely caught Kirihara's attention. That Euphemia had tried to surrender to Zero was not lost on him, either. For all of her faults, on every occasion that Kirihara had spoken to her, he had noted her open-minded and giving nature. If Euphemia believed in Zero enough to place her life in his hands, then perhaps he truly did have the power to change the world. He was already doing so, for one thing, and for another, Zero appeared to have Britannia by the throat at each and every encounter.

But only so much weight could be placed in appearances, and Kirihara knew that better than anyone. For all the things that Zero appeared to be, Kirihara was only interested in who he actually was beneath the mask.

Still, Kirihara was impressed when Zero came before him with only a three-man squad as backup... and one of those was a woman, who was somehow nearly as imposing as Zero himself.

Kirihara didn't bother with pleasantries: he'd studied the files on them, and frankly, he was old, feeling his age that day, and in no mood to play nice with a man that concealed his face when he was a guest in another man's domain.

"I will make this simple for you, Zero. If you expect to receive support from Kyoto, you must reveal your face to me."

Ohgi and Tamaki looked shocked, but there was also obvious interest on their part: they clearly had no idea who Zero was, either. The woman just looked bored, so Zero's identity had to be old news to her.

"I present a counter-offer," Zero said calmly. "I will allow Lady Kaguya to remove my mask, as she was kind enough to invite me."

Before Kirihara could reply, a girlish squeal made him wince, and then Kaguya rushed past him, practically shoving one of his guards aside in her hurry. He was annoyed, having told her beforehand that she was not to attend unless he said different, but at least now he didn't have to waste time summoning her.

Zero lowered his head so that Kaguya could more easily reach his mask, and for a tense moment, nothing happened as she tugged fruitlessly. Then there was a soft snap, and the mask began to cycle away from Zero's head, dropping neatly into Kaguya's hands.

Kaguya gasped softly as she stared into Zero's eyes, and then, before anyone could stop her, yanked down the secondary, cloth mask over Zero's mouth, and gave him a firm, heartfelt kiss that lasted at least nine seconds.

And naturally, she had done all of this while effectively blocking Kirihara's view with her own head. It was only when she stepped back and to the side that he understood her behavior.

"You," he whispered in shock, but it quickly faded as realization set in. Kirihara began to laugh, loudly and freely, shaking his head as tears leaked from his eyes. He was amazed that he hadn't figured it out before. Who better to oppose Britannia than someone who knew its inner workings, someone who had grown up alongside its current leaders? And of course, Kaguya would be pleasantly surprised to learn that boy she'd had a crush on had grown into the same man that she now thought herself in love with. It was all just too perfect.

"So," Lelouch said, his face still slightly red from Kaguya's kiss, "can I count on Kyoto's support in the future?"

"Not only can you count on it, I apologize for not giving it to you sooner!" Kirihara chuckled. "But I'm afraid you may have made a mistake in coming here. You'll never be rid of Kaguya now."

A thoughtful expression appeared on Lelouch's face as he looked at Kaguya, who had wrapped both of her arms around his right one and was gazing up at him with adoring eyes. "It would be an honor and a privilege to have the Goddess of Victory accompany me. I suspect there are those in Area 11 who have missed her dearly."

Kirihara grinned, knowing exactly who Lelouch meant.

* * *

Currently, Kallen was in a weird place, or at least, her mind was: inside of Nunnally's wheelchair.

Since the battle in Narita, Kallen had noticed that her mind was a lot more versatile than it had ever been before. For some unknown reason, she seemed able to place her mind inside of objects temporarily. This had first manifested inside the Guren, and perhaps because of that, there was no other place that Kallen felt quite as comfortable using her new power. The downside was that Kallen's body effectively fell asleep while her mind was otherwise occupied, so anyone that came across her in the meantime would think she had passed out, and have the perfect opportunity to take advantage of her.

Kallen had been experimenting with all sorts of things, but only when she was alone. Another aspect of her power was that she could detect any strong feelings imprinted on an object while touching it. This happened more or less automatically, because Kallen generally had no idea what she would find beforehand, not unless the object belonged to her, anyway.

So it had come as a complete shock when she'd come home the other night, and accidentally brushed Nunnally's wheelchair.

As she was now considered Nunnally's best friend, Kallen had just assumed that she actually knew the girl, or at least that she knew Nunnally better than most. But it quickly became clear that the Nunnally people saw from day to day was only a relatively small aspect of her.

Nunnally never told anyone how it felt to be abandoned by her family, or how the knowledge that Lelouch would spend most of his life taking care of her made her feel incredibly guilty. It didn't matter to her that Lelouch did this out of love, and so Nunnally did everything in her power to make it easier on him: she never spoke an unkind word to or around him if she could help it, wanting only to be a positive influence on him.

Kallen was still getting to know Lelouch, but she knew it would kill him if he ever knew that Nunnally felt that way about herself, even for an instant. He was that devoted to her, although she was clearly more devoted to him. Several times, Kallen wanted to bring this up with Nunnally, to assure her that all the effort wasn't really necessary, and that Lelouch would love her no less if she was occasionally sad, or tired, or frustrated with him. But it seemed wrong to do so, and if this was Nunnally's choice, Kallen had to respect it.

Worst of all, it disturbed Kallen deeply to know that Nunnally, someone who was so outwardly happy seemingly all of the time, was also inwardly very, very sad. She missed her family, the use of her legs, her sight, and above all, simpler times when she was allowed to take such things for granted.

All of this normally would've been enough for Kallen to avoid touching Nunnally's wheelchair ever again: there were many other things in life to be depressed about, and none of them made her feel quite as helpless. But so much of their friendship, not unlike Nunnally's other relationships, was based on physical contact, and Nunnally would certainly notice if Kallen started keeping her distance for no reason. Beyond that, now that Kallen was aware of how Nunnally truly felt about Lelouch, she wanted to be certain that Nunnally never had a chance to develop similar feelings towards her. And if that meant regularly getting a peek into Nunnally's past, that was just a small bonus.

Something else, however, soon became obvious from these peeks: Nunnally, and most probably Lelouch as well, were royalty, or had been at one point. So many of Nunnally's prominent memories from childhood centered around an older, pink-haired sister who looked suspiciously like the same girl that had been there the night Kallen moved in, who in turn bore a striking resemblance to Third Princess Euphemia. And even as a child, Nunnally had called her sister "Euphie," the same name that had shown up on her cell phone earlier that same day.

Even knowing this, Kallen wasn't really angry. Britannian royalty or not, Nunnally was innocent of any crimes against Japan, and certainly had nothing against the Japanese, even going so far as to still call them that. And if Euphemia was still so important to both Nunnally and Lelouch, she couldn't be all bad, either. But that was as far as Kallen was willing to be forgiving, and Zero's actions at Narita seemed to indicate the same. Cornelia and Schneizel were definitely their enemies.

But that left far too many grey areas for Kallen's liking, and without more information, she might be forced to make a quick decision in battle that one or both Lamperouge siblings might find disagreeable. Nunnally's concerns were more important to Kallen, but Lelouch was the more informed of the two, being a member of the Black Knights. At the moment, though, both Lelouch and Zero were away on business, and asking Nunnally's opinion once she finished her afternoon nap probably wouldn't hurt.

Kallen was provided with a more immediate distraction when the doorbell rang.

She quickly retreated back to her body, blinking and frowning as she pulled her hand from the empty wheelchair. Normally, Sayako would get the door, but she'd gone grocery shopping, so Kallen was on her own there. She fingered the knife tucked safely in a hidden holster along her thigh along the way. There hadn't been any hostile visitors that she knew of, but she was Nunnally's Knight for a reason.

The peephole revealed nothing out of the ordinary: just a boy about Nunnally's age, in a school uniform.

Sighing, Kallen activated the intercom. "Who are you? Do you need something?"

The boy blinked as if startled. "Oh! Um, I'm Rolo, and Miss Milly asked me to bring some assignments to the Vice President, since he missed classes today..."

"Fine, hold on," Kallen grumbled, unlocking the door and only opening it wide enough for a hand to slip through.

In the next instant, however, she found herself facedown on the floor, with three stab wounds in her belly, and blood pouring out of her.

"I'd stay still, if I were you, and wanted to live," Rolo suggested, no longer sounding nervous at all. "The less blood you lose, the better your chances. Of course, if you don't get treatment in time, I don't like your chances either way. But you'll have to excuse me, as I'm busy right now."

* * *

C.C. thought she was doing a remarkable job of remaining calm and tolerant, considering that Kaguya had been gradually converting her long, freefalling green hair into two thick braids that would no doubt take considerably longer to untangle. Once Kaguya started implying the braids might look better with ribbons on them, however, C.C. lost what remained of her patience and demanded of Lelouch, "Why is this person with us again?"

From his seat opposite them, Lelouch made no attempt to conceal his amusement. "I have no doubt that Kaguya will prove herself invaluable immediately, so you don't need to concern yourself with that. You just need to learn to deal with her quirks."

C.C. did not think ambushing a person's hair was a mere quirk, nor was it healthy or to be encouraged. In fact, she was very familiar with a certain culture in which Kaguya's own luxurious hair would be chopped off and used to bind her, shortly before she was tossed into a live volcano for such an offense (C.C. had actually invented this culture herself, while she still had her Geass, but didn't feel that made it any less authentic).

"And will Nunnally have to deal with these quirks as well?" C.C. asked, wanting to be sure she would not be made to suffer alone.

"Nunnally rather enjoys them, as I recall," Lelouch answered, only deepening C.C.'s frown in the process.

Kaguya immediately perked up at the mention of her childhood playmate. "Do you think she'll remember me, Lelouch?"

"I wouldn't worry. You're rather hard to forget, Kaguya."

C.C. almost smiled, until she realized that Lelouch only meant that Kaguya was genuinely memorable, and not just an extremely persistent pest.

* * *

"Greetings, Princess Nunnally vi Britannia."

Nunnally froze and turned her head slowly towards the unfamiliar voice. "W-Who are you? How did you get in? Where's Kallen?"

Rolo considered not answering, but after spending some time with Mao, had come to realize that he also drew a certain pleasure from toying with his victims. "She isn't dead, if that's what you're asking," Rolo replied as he walked further into the room. For some reason, he hadn't killed Kallen outright, merely stabbed her a few times. If she was careful, and very lucky, she might still survive. Maybe. Either way, she was no longer a concern of his. "But I'd be more concerned with my own safety, if I were you."

"You're not going to kill me," Nunnally said at once, causing him to stop in surprise. "I'm sure you could, but you obviously know who I am, and that I'm more useful to you alive."

"You overestimate your worth."

"Then why am I still alive?"

Rolo's left eye twitched irritably. "It is true that killing you might cause problems. However, I am very skilled with a knife, and I am keenly aware of many related tortures that, while they won't kill you, will certainly make you much more respectful towards me."

Nunnally considered that for a few seconds before asking, "You're with OSI, aren't you?"

Rolo frowned. "The more you talk, the more you give me reasons to hurt you. How could you possibly know that?"

"My mother told me about them. She said that they excelled in one thing, and one thing only. You sound like such a person, and I would expect OSI to actively seek my death. So if you aren't here to kill me, you must be here to kidnap me, so that you can more easily kill someone else."

"Correct, for the most part. Now, if you insist on still talking, you will have to do it while we leave," Rolo said, taking the handles of her wheelchair and steering Nunnally towards the door.

"You still haven't told me your name," she reminded him gently.

"Rolo," he snapped, almost without thought.

"Is it okay if I ask who you're trying to kill?"

He barely resisted the urge to strike her. "Do you know many people?"

"Yes."

"Then assume it's all of them," he replied nastily.

Nunnally stopped talking after that, on the off chance that he wasn't kidding. After all, if Rolo was really with the Office of Secret Intelligence, she had no doubt that they could make it happen.

* * *

"Headmaster Reid, your son is on line three. Shall I put him through?"

"Yes, thank you." The older man waited until he heard the expected click on the line before speaking. "Diethard, my boy. How long has it been?"

"Uh, a few years now, Dad," came the hesitant, awkward reply. "How are the twins?"

"Quite well. The latest curriculum I came up with seems to be no challenge at all for them. They ask about you sometimes."

"I miss them, too. It's just... you know I'm not like them. I never felt like I belonged when I was around you three. You had your own little world, and I wasn't a part of it."

"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way, Diethard. I just want my children to do the best they possibly can."

"But my best was never really good enough, was it, Dad? You never made me one of your pet projects like you did with the twins. You never... cared."

"The twins have always required a certain level of care, you know that. I never intended to exclude you, but some of that was unavoidable. I admit I took a different approach with you, but I always knew that you would stand on your own. You've become a very successful man, from what I hear."

"And most of that is a direct result of the fact that I'm your son."

"Is that really such a bad thing, Diethard? I wasn't the best father I could be to you, but I always loved you."

"Dad, I, uh... have to go," Diethard said, his voice sounding suspiciously thick.

"You can come home anytime, my boy. I know the twins would love to see their big brother again." The old man sighed and hung up the phone, just in time to hear a hidden panel in the wall of his office slide open.

"Am I interrupting, Socrates?" asked the small boy that emerged from the dark passage.

"Not at all, V.V.," Socrates replied. "I was just talking to my oldest."

"You're still hoping he'll join us? He simply doesn't have the same talent as his siblings. Even he recognizes that, so why can't you?"

"There are other capacities in which he could serve you. Besides, it would make the twins happy."

"I should compliment them," V.V. remarked, smiling. "Schneizel put their latest toy to good use."

"You were surprised?"

"Yes, but not by what you might think. Apparently, Cornelia is turning out to be the more predictable of them."

Socrates blinked slowly. "That IS a surprise. Euphemia is not behaving normally, then?"

V.V. waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing that can't be dealt with later. Are the twins awake?"

"Yes. D.D. has been searching for the next rip in time for almost two whole days now. She should be close to a breakthrough." Socrates tapped a button underneath his desk, and every surface in the room seemed to become transparent for a moment, before adjusting to show multiple camera angles of two small, blue-haired children seated at a table littered with pencils and sketchpads. Their eyes were shut tightly, their faces frozen in intense expressions of concentration.

Socrates could not help the pride that he felt each time he watched them. He had never imagined that his two children would one day become the foundation of the Geass Directorate, partially because his own Geass had never been able to confirm it. Merely by seizing a person's hand, he could gaze into their destiny, and see everything that their hands would ever create. It was only natural, then, that V.V. place him in the Imperial Colchester Institute, where he had easy access to the young, brilliant minds of each generation.

The twins had been oddly immune to his Geass, although after his failure with Diethard, Socrates had initially feared that none of his children had inherited his gift of time viewing that he and V.V. had worked so hard to recreate. But the twins had developed their Geass soon afterwards, and Socrates had begun training them to hone their enormous potential.

"I have a good feeling about this one," V.V. said, perching on the arm of Socrates' chair. "Dynamo's last design was a bit vague on some of the more important points, so much of it was guesswork, but I think this time will be different."

"Got it," D.D. murmured abruptly, reaching over to grasp her brother's hand tightly.

Dynamo's eyes flickered rapidly beneath his eyelids, and then his free hand began to move, the pencil flying across the sketchpad with ease. In seconds, Socrates could see Britannia's newest Knightmare rapidly taking form. To his surprise, it looked nothing like the last one Dynamo had drawn. Where the Gaheris was little more than a downgraded Sutherland with advanced cloaking and a cannon shoved crudely through its chest, this one had obviously been the product of far more research. This could only be a good thing: if Dynamo was able to add this much more detail to D.D.'s visions, they'd soon be moving from producing mere pictures with some detail to actual blueprints. It meant that their combined Geass was evolving.

Once Dynamo was done, he carefully laid down the pencil.

D.D. finally opened her eyes and gazed at the drawing. "You even got the fingers right. They looked funny to me, but-"

"Slash Harkens," Dynamo interrupted. "The whole thing is bigger than it looks."

"And it can still fly?" she asked in surprise.

"Of course it can. You saw it, didn't you?"

"That's excellent work, you two," V.V. said into the intercom built into Socrates' desk.

"Master?" D.D. asked excitedly. "You were watching?"

"I was. You've both earned a good rest. I'll see you when you wake up."

The light faded from the twins' eyes, and they slumped against each other, snoring softly, their hands still joined.

"I may even take this design to Schneizel in person," V.V. said, "if only to see the look on his face. It's such a large improvement, he may decide that we've been holding back on him."

"And what will you do then?" Socrates asked.

V.V. shrugged, an impish smile tugging at his lips. "If he at least attempts to be polite or subtle about it, I may even let him live a little longer."

* * *

Even though he'd had his Geass for several years now, there were times when Mao still managed to amaze even himself with its potency.

Either that, or people in general were just getting far more predictable and easier to read.

Rolo's part of the plan played to his strengths: infiltration and precise violence. He would extract and secure Nunnally, dispatching anyone in his way. Mao had been a bit confused as to why Rolo spared Kallen, but even that worked out better than either of them could've expected.

It hadn't taken long for Mao to track down Kallen afterwards: upon returning home, Sayoko had immediately taken the redhead to a nearby hospital. Curiously, Sayoko seemed to have a history with one of the doctors, and he saw to Kallen's treatment without asking any questions. At the moment, Kallen was expected to make a full recovery, given enough time. Apparently, Rolo had managed to avoid piercing anything vital.

Unfortunately, Kallen had seen Rolo's face, heard his voice, and witnessed his Geass (as much as one could, at least), so they couldn't just let her live. But Mao stumbled upon a way to take care of Kallen without getting either of their hands dirty. It was simple good fortunate that he'd bumped into Shirley Fenette, who already had a perfect motive for killing Kallen. All she needed was a mental nudge in the right direction, and within ten minutes, Shirley had gone from thinking that Kallen was merely dangerous to thinking that allowing Kallen to live was the worst thing that anyone could do. Ironically, all Mao really had to do was point out that Nunnally had only been in constant danger since Kallen had appeared in her life. Naturally, he left out that he was currently holding the girl hostage beneath the school.

Shirley didn't need to know that, and anyway, if the mental stress of killing Kallen didn't destroy her, then Mao would, once he'd drawn out Lelouch and gotten C.C. back.

* * *

"We need to go to your school," Euphemia said as she snapped her cell phone shut.

Suzaku gave her a confused look, but made no move to inform the driver of Euphemia's demand. "Why?"

"Nunnally isn't answering her phone, and I've called her five times."

Suzaku stared at her. "Is that all? She's probably in the middle of a nap, or a bath."

Euphemia shot him a dark look. "Suzaku," she said with as much patience as she could muster, "Nunnally ALWAYS answers the phone when I call her. At the very least, Sayoko or Kallen would answer and then take the phone to her. She'd never intentionally miss a call from me."

He almost said that maybe she was exaggerating just a wee bit, but when Euphemia called Nunnally for a sixth time with no answer, Suzaku started to get concerned himself.

"I'm going to call Lelouch," Suzaku finally announced, taking out his own phone. "He should know what's going on with Nunnally."

* * *

Lelouch had just stepped into his quarters at the Black Knights' base when his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Sighing, he pulled it out and glared at the name on the screen before answering. "Suzaku."

"Euphie's worried about Nunnally. She isn't answering her cell phone. Is she with you?"

"No," Lelouch said slowly, frowning as C.C. entered the room behind him. "Kallen isn't picking up, either?"

"No, and neither is Sayoko. I was about to call Milly and ask her to look in-"

"NO!" Lelouch shouted, before remembering himself. "No. Don't ask anyone to do that, Suzaku. I'm on my way right now, and I don't want anyone to interfere."

"But this is Nunn-"

Lelouch snapped the phone shut and threw it across the room.

C.C. watched him warily. "Kallen wouldn't have been a match for Mao. He isn't the kind of opponent that can be outmaneuvered easily, so her Geass would be virtually useless against him. The good news is that he's only doing this to get your attention, so he won't hurt Nunnally, yet. He'll want to introduce himself to you before he goes that far."

"And you're certain you can get Nunnally out of this unharmed?"

"Lelouch, don't worry. I understand that Nunnally is important to you. I'll do everything in my power to help you get her back safely."

His eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer the question, C.C."

"You urged me to trust you. Perhaps you should do the same."

"I'm not willing to bargain with Nunnally's safety. If she is harmed, I will consider our contract null and void."

C.C. glared at him. "You would throw away your Geass, and everything you've worked for, just for-"

"I know you're lazy, but I thought you were at least paying attention!" Lelouch snapped. "Everything I do is for the realization of a world where Nunnally can live in peace. If I lose her, there's no point to any of this. And don't bother trying to scare me with threats. If you could take away my Geass, then you could've taken away Mao's, and we wouldn't even be in this situation. Either help me or stay out of my way, but don't think for a second that you and your desires are more important to me than Nunnally."

A long, tense silence stretched between them, and C.C. was the first to look away.

"I understand now," she murmured softly. "I will rescue Nunnally."

Lelouch was surprised to hear her give in so easily. "You're agreeing, just like that? I thought you'd have abandoned me, or at least forced me to compromise."

"Despite what you may believe, I am not a spoiled child, Lelouch. I am not going to walk away over one difference of opinion. Besides, I am constantly learning more, the longer I stay with you."

"And what have you learned just now?" he asked.

"I have learned that we are allies," C.C. replied, her expression betraying nothing, "but not friends."

Lelouch could not say why those words bothered him, but so long as C.C. was committed to saving Nunnally, he could live with them.

* * *

Cornelia had never admitted it to another living soul, but the ghosts of Lelouch and Nunnally had haunted her ever since their passing. In quiet moments, she recalled how easily Euphemia had bonded with them, and cursed herself for not taking more chances to do the same. She missed Lelouch's brilliant mind and Nunnally's overwhelming warmth, despite never really being comfortable with either back then. Lelouch had been too clever for her tastes, and Nunnally too adorable. Those were dangerous traits for potential competitors for the throne to have, and primarily the reason Cornelia kept her distance. Her admiration of Lady Marianne forced her to overlook their commoner origins, but she'd already doted on Euphemia, and that was the only weakness she would allow herself.

She hated to admit it, but a small part of her had been relieved when they turned up dead. It meant that Euphemia would never again plead with her to play with Nunnally, or to challenge Lelouch to a game of chess. And Cornelia could stop feeling like she owed them anything, once her investigation of their deaths turned up nothing significant.

She could move on. Or she could try to pretend she had.

But Cornelia never had to wonder why Euphemia refused any appointments that fell on their birthdays, or why Euphemia gave so much money to charities that focused on war orphans. She didn't have to ask about the special pink and black chess set in Euphemia's room that had never been used: Lelouch had given it to her, as a symbol of his commitment to teach her how to play.

Still, Cornelia had only been able to accomplish as much as she did in her life because of one, simple fact: there was nothing she could've done to save Lelouch or Nunnally. All she could do was live in such a way that their memories would be honored. She hadn't liked them much, but that didn't mean she hadn't loved them. As such, she reacted harshly towards the few people that had ever been foolish enough to disrepect either of Lady Marianne's children in front of her. It was too little too late, but somehow Cornelia never felt that way in the heat of the moment. She would die before she saw Lelouch or Nunnally dishonored.

Perhaps it was the earlier conversation with Suzaku that had left her so angry, but Cornelia was in no mood for surprises as she glanced through Ashford Academy's surveillance tapes for that day. She wasn't looking for anything in particular, but had made a habit of viewing the tapes, just in case Euphemia decided to pop in for another visit.

As usual, there wasn't much of interest. There was something odd, however.

A boy literally vanished from view outside one of the buildings, only to reappear several minutes later with a wheelchair-bound girl. There was no audio needed to see that the girl was clearly unhappy about the situation.

Cornelia might have ignored it even then, except that the camera angle provided an excellent view of the girl's face.

The school's records identified the two "students" as Rolo Haliburton and Nunnally Lamperouge. Nunnally's file was fairly normal, and so was Rolo's, up until she tried to pry deeper. Then her access was blocked, and there were very few organizations who could do so without Cornelia's knowledge. This particular block was of the same type that OSI typically used, which only made Cornelia angry. Had it been Schneizel, she would've had a chance of getting more information, but there was no reasoning with her father on such things.

However, Rolo was easily tracked by a few cameras that Cornelia herself had added in the last few days. He wasn't disappearing anymore, possibly because moving Nunnally at the same time made that more difficult or impossible. The final camera revealed that Rolo had taken Nunnally to a special elevator, one that he shouldn't have had access to, which Cornelia knew led to a tunnel beneath the school. From there, there were only so many places they could go.

* * *

"I know it hurts, Kallen. But if you don't act now, Nunnally will die."

Kallen grunted and opened her eyes, frowning. She remembered that she had been stabbed. Only it didn't feel like she had been anymore. She couldn't feel anything at all, really.

C.C. was standing in front of her, although that was a bad choice of words. There was no floor that Kallen could see, so C.C. was more floating than anything else. So was she, but that wasn't as important as the fact that they both appeared to have forgotten their clothes.

"Maybe you really are a whore..." was the first thing out of Kallen's mouth.

C.C. scowled at her. "Did you not hear me?"

Kallen blinked. "Nunnally... I think that guy that stabbed me took her! But I don't know where-!"

"Zero has placed a homing beacon in her wheelchair. The Guren can track it."

Kallen's face fell. "But the last thing I remember was Sayoko taking me to the hospital... I think. So how do I get to the Guren?"

"How, indeed," C.C. murmured, reaching out to caress Kallen's cheek. "The power I have given you is adequate, but you have yet to discover its full potential. Because you first activated it in the Guren, that is where you are at your most powerful. As such, if you call to the Guren, even in your current state, it will have no choice but to respond to your commands."

* * *

Tamaki was seconds away from shooting Kaguya, Ohgi, or both of them.

Someone had come up with the brilliant idea of giving Kaguya a tour of her latest investment (no doubt it was Zero, just to get her out of his hair). Someone ELSE had decided that Tamaki should be her tour guide (that had definitely been Ohgi).

The problem was, Tamaki didn't have all the information that Kaguya wanted, and what little he did know (for example, how much of the funds he had spent on lavish dinners over the past week), he wasn't about to share with an annoying brat like her. By about the third muttered answer, Kaguya had taken out a notepad, which she wrote down a comment on every time Tamaki failed to provide a satisfactory answer.

She'd filled up five pages inside three minutes.

And the whole time, she had that stupid, innocent expression on her face, as if she could do no wrong.

Tamaki ended the tour at the Knightmare storage bay, where he was hoping to quietly lose Kaguya among the patrolmen, track down Ohgi, and throttle him.

But in that moment, the Guren suddenly stood, rising to its full height.

Tamaki just gawked. "Kallen, what are you doing in there?! I thought you were supposed to be at school!"

The Guren turned towards him. "Tamaki," Kallen's voice said in a no-nonsense tone, "open the bay doors. Now."

Tamaki just stared, trying to decide if he should obey or not. It wasn't really against orders, but somehow letting their ace pilot take off with their best Knightmare on an unknown mission sounded a lot worse than blowing money on expensive food.

Suddenly, there was a loud beep behind him. Tamaki whirled around, only to find Kaguya standing suspiciously close to the controls for the bay doors... which were now slowly opening.

"What did you just do?!" Tamaki cried in outrage as the Guren ran through the doors.

"Me?" Kaguya asked innocently, even as she jotted down more on her notepad. "If I remember correctly, you were my appointed tour guide, which makes you responsible for what areas I have access to. This incident is YOUR fault, and I will be sure to notify Zero-sama immediately." With a smile, she turned and headed for Zero's quarters, a noticeable skip in her step.

"I think I understand why Kyoto was so eager to give her away," Tamaki grumbled.

* * *

"You don't need to worry, Sayoko. I'll stay with Kallen until you get back."

Sayoko said nothing as she took in the odd smile on Shirley's face. It seemed false somehow, or at least completely unlike the smiles that had been there before today. She knew perfectly well that Kallen and Shirley didn't get along, and that Shirley had stopped visiting with Nunnally some time ago as a direct result. But Sayoko also knew that Shirley had a gift for seeing the good in anyone and everyone, and that usually took some time. Perhaps Kallen being hurt had reminded Shirley how short and painful life could truly be.

Sayoko wanted to believe that, at least, but she didn't. Not completely, and certainly not to the point where she would risk leaving Kallen alone with Shirley. But she had to locate Nunnally, and that wouldn't be possible if she were with Kallen. All she could really do was ask the doctor to keep an eye on them. In the end, both Lelouch and Kallen would consider Nunnally's life far more important, so there was little choice in the matter.

Of course, it hadn't escaped Sayoko's notice that no one had been told of Kallen being stabbed. That Shirley had known of it, anyway, could mean nothing good.

And sure enough, the moment Sayoko had left, Shirley turned towards Kallen's unconscious body with an unreadable expression on her face, gripping the handbag that held her father's service pistol much tighter.

* * *

Rolo could already sense that his partnership with Mao, despite proving to be extremely effective, would soon be coming to an end. To put it simply, Mao was able to calculate everything, even when given the smallest amount of information possible. He would need to kill Mao before Mao killed him, for that was the only way that people such as themselves ended such deals.

Even though Mao could not read Rolo's mind effectively, he was still able to predict, with maddening accuracy, the way Rolo would react in most situations. This made it nearly impossible to surprise Mao with anything, and certainly he would be extra wary of any situation that might end in his own death.

While Rolo couldn't predict the way Mao could, he could stil guess at the way that Mao worked. An uninformed person might consider Mao a mad genius, but that was only true to a certain extent. Really, Mao was just amazingly resourceful. Having had his Geass for years, he could easily hone in on the most knowledgeable people within range, extract all the needed information, and move on to the next mind, all within mere seconds. This task was made even easier by the fact that they were beneath a school. Rolo guessed that it was as simple as focusing on a likely area, such as the library, or a teacher's lounge. Unfortunately, Rolo was not the only OSI agent on the grounds, and they certainly did not have Geass to shield themselves from Mao's mental probing.

But even this information left Rolo at a sizeable disadvantage. And now that Second Princess Cornelia was rapidly approaching their location, Mao had access to thousands of advanced military strategies, from full-scale war to solo, unarmed combat. True, Mao was not the most athletic person, but when he could see any attack coming minutes away, he didn't have to be. He'd had the makings of a perfect assassin long before he'd met Rolo.

It was no surprise that Mao assigned Rolo the task of "greeting" Cornelia. Mao himself was far too busy verbally torturing Nunnally with vivid descriptions of what he would do to her brother. Even with that, he was far more effective than Rolo had been, and truthfully, Rolo had found it increasingly difficult not to just kill Nunnally and get it over with. Something about her just rubbed him the wrong way, though he had no idea what it was. Besides, awaiting Cornelia gave Rolo more time to think of ways to end his partnership with Mao, without dying in the process.

Unfortunately, even when Cornelia did find her way to the door that Rolo was guarding, he was no closer to finding a winning strategy. But with any luck, Mao would be forced to focus on her, as she was obviously very, very angry at the moment.

"Welcome, Viceroy," Rolo said as she stomped towards him. "I am-"

"OSI, I know," she snapped, stopping and glaring down at him. "Now get out of my way."

"You misunderstand, Viceroy. I am not here to stop you. I am merely here to warn you."

"About what?"

"That you may not like what lies beyond this door," Rolo answered.

"I'm sure I can manage," Cornelia growled, pushing him aside and shoving the door open.

But just as Rolo had warned, she did not care for the sight that awaited her.

Nunnally was on the other side of the room, still in her wheelchair. Mao had tied her up, more for dramatic effect than anything else, and was currently taking great delight in poking her with all manner of objects he'd gathered. At the moment, it was just a broom, and he wasn't putting much effort into it, but Cornelia could already tell from the way that Nunnally was cowering that he had been before.

"You're not really the relative I was waiting for," Mao said without turning around, "but I suppose it's alright if you join us for a while. I imagine the Second Princess has plenty of ideas about how to torture someone for information, right? Not that I can't get it on my own, but I bet your way is a bit more physical and fun to watch!"

Frowning, Cornelia ventured closer, all but ignoring Mao as she stared at the restrained girl before her. The resemblance to her late sister, if she'd lived, was uncanny in her mind, but there was still a chance that this person was an imposter. Slowly, Cornelia reached out and brushed the back of her hand against Nunnally's cheek. Instantly, the girl shrank away from the touch, afraid of being jabbed again.

"Do you claim to be Nunnally vi Britannia?" Cornelia asked softly. "Is that what you would have me believe?"

The girl froze and looked towards Cornelia's voice. "B-Big sister Corny?" she whispered uncertainly.

Cornelia stepped back in surprise, unprepared for that old nickname, and for the memory that accompanied it.

_"Big sister Euphie!"_

_Cornelia barely hid her distaste as Nunnally came hurtling across the grass towards them, flashing her signature blinding smile just before she collided with Euphemia, as was her way. For some reason, Euphemia only smiled and laughed as she lifted the smaller girl into her lap._

_"Hello, Nunnally," Euphemia replied warmly, kissing the girl's cheeks and then her nose._

_Nunnally giggled and flung her short arms around Euphemia's neck. "I made you a present!"_

_Euphemia gasped loudly in delight. "Really?!"_

_"Yup!" Nunnally thrust one of several flower wreaths hanging from her arm into Euphemia's face._

_"Oh, it's lovely! Would you put it on for me, please?"_

_Grinning wider, Nunnally carefully slipped the wreath over Euphemia's head, being sure not to tangle it in her long, pink hair._

_Cornelia rolled her eyes, about to turn away from the disgusting sight when..._

_"Big sister Corny! I made this one for you!"_

_Forcing herself to smile, Cornelia slowly accepted the flower wreath that Nunnally held out to her. "Thank you, Nunnally," she grumbled. She hated that nickname, less because Nunnally didn't know what it implied, and more because Lelouch did, and still encouraged Nunnally to use it._

_"Try it on!" Nunnally said eagerly._

_"Yes, I think you would look positively stunning in daisies, Cornelia," Euphemia agreed, smothering a giggle behind her hand._

"Cornelia?" Nunnally gasped, her voice hopeful but still wary. "Is that you?"

The Second Princess said nothing, not out of conscious choice, but because she had lost the ability to speak, if only momentarily. The reason for this was twofold: first, Cornelia was simply shocked that years after the girl's supposed death, she still recognized that voice as being uniquely Nunnally's. Aside from that, no one but Lelouch or Nunnally would dare to address her with that childish nickname.

But the second reason was that deep within Cornelia's subconscious, that recognition had triggered a preprogrammed set of orders: to terminate anyone claiming to be, or bearing a strong enough resemblance to, Nunnally vi Britannia.

And while Cornelia would retain no memory of this later, Nunnally would never quite forget the coldness in her older sister's next words.

"You are going to tell me why you are impersonating my late sister, and how you answer will depend on the nature in which I send you to join her."

**End of Part 7.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: Birth of the Black Queen**

Euphemia is faced with an impossible choice: siding with Cornelia and watching Nunnally die, or betraying her elder sister to save the younger one.

* * *

Endnotes:

I don't know how realistic it is to believe that Anya could ever beat Gino. But I thought it would make a neat back story, anyway.

Socrates and the twins are original characters, just so no one's confused.

Obviously, Nunnally could still see and walk in that little flashback of Cornelia's.

Maybe I'm overthinking the scope of what Mao's mind can do. Any thoughts?

To be clear, the Guren will probably be the only object that Kallen can control with her Geass remotely. Anything else, she would need to be able to touch directly first.


	8. Birth of the Black Queen

Notes: Kinda hard to pick out individual episode references at this point...

Warning: Character death within this chapter.

Chapter Summary: Mao mistakes. Schneizel selects. Kallen rescues. Euphemia checkmates. Anya forgets. V.V. schemes. Shirley confronts. Lelouch confesses. Nunnally surprises.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 8: Birth of the Black Queen**

* * *

In all his years as an assassin, Rolo had learned that everyone, no matter how smart or skilled, needed a contingency plan. The more you had, the more ways you had to win, or at least the more ways you had to escape and try again later. He prided himself on getting things right the first time, but Rolo was always careful to have an alternate.

Mao's problem was that he relied far too heavily on his Geass. True, it was rather powerful, but without it, Mao was nothing. Rolo only realized this the instant in which Mao's Geass finally failed him, and that was all it really took.

It happened just after Nunnally burst into tears, and Cornelia drew a gun that had been concealed beneath her cape.

Mao didn't need his Geass to realize that Cornelia intended to kill Nunnally then and there. He had no love for the girl, but he doubted that Lelouch or C.C. would show up to rescue a corpse. For now, at least, he needed Nunnally alive.

Rolo made no move to interfere, but made a point to watch Mao's every move. He had a feeling that his opportunity to kill Mao was fast approaching.

"Hold on, Princess," Mao said, reaching out to grasp Cornelia's arm. "I-"

That was as far as he got.

Rolo had been with both OSI and the Geass Directorate for some time. He'd learned that brainwashing someone into murdering someone else was only a sure thing if sub-directives were included. Forcing Cornelia to kill Nunnally wasn't enough; there had to be fail safes, in case something went wrong. This was very obviously the case, because the second in which Cornelia identified Mao as a hindrance to her mission, he became a problem.

Mao had no idea he was in danger: Rolo had only thought that some Geass users might be immune to Mao's probes, but clearly this applied to some of those under the spell of Geass as well.

Without looking, and most probably without even realizing she was doing it, Cornelia's arm snapped up, pressing the barrel of her gun directly between his eyes. Mao didn't even have time to look surprised as his head exploded into a cloud of red mist and gore. Rolo was impressed: whoever wanted Nunnally dead was taking no chances of her surviving again.

Nunnally screamed in fear, either from the sound of the gunshot, or because some of Mao's blood had splashed onto her lap.

Cornelia's only reaction was to blink as Mao's body collapsed to the floor.

Rolo was perfectly free to leave then, having no real obligation to keep Nunnally alive, but he was curious. "Shall I guard the door, Viceroy?" he asked, ready to use his Geass or shoot if she should so much as glance in his direction the wrong way.

"Yes, do that," Cornelia said, sounding more like a woman who was not under the influence of Geass, but her face remained blank as she spoke the words. "I suspect we'll have visitors very soon."

Rolo kept his eyes on Cornelia as he slipped outside, and managed to catch her next words.

"Now for you," Cornelia murmured, and Nunnally's whimpering cut off abruptly. "Tell me what I want to know. Why are you impersonating my sister?"

* * *

C.C. had promised that she would help rescue Nunnally, but suddenly, Lelouch was a lot less inclined to believe anything she said. He trusted her to a certain extent, but he wouldn't take the chance that Nunnally might be hurt or worse, simply because of C.C.'s jealousy.

So Lelouch had swallowed his pride, called Suzaku back, and admitted there was a beacon in Nunnally's wheelchair. He had a handheld tracer, disguised as a PDA, as did Sayoko and Kallen. He knew for certain that Nunnally was still at Ashford Academy, although the slightly weakened signal indicated she was either underground, in an area with some interference, or both.

It was incredibly difficult for Lelouch to just sit there and wait for results, for once, but Suzaku had already shown a certain willingness to throw himself in harm's way, and he would do so gladly to save Nunnally. Even if he died in the attempt, Lelouch had faith that he would somehow manage to rescue her first.

There was nothing to do but wait. C.C. had forbidden him to leave the base, claiming that Mao would've already planned for that. She'd been serious enough to threaten him at gunpoint, which was enough to make him realize that his life might actually be in danger. That did nothing to comfort him about Nunnally's situation, though.

* * *

Suzaku was a soldier, and one of the primary rules (as far as he was concerned, anyway) was that you didn't take unarmed, inexperienced women into battle. So he was understandably frustrated that both Euphemia and Nina had insisted on entering the service elevator with him. He was grateful that Nina had been on hand to show them where it was, and he was also technically duty-bound to stay with Euphemia until he'd seen to her safety, but this was seriously pushing it. He was tempted to roll his eyes at the way Nina had gasped when he drew his service pistol just before they reached the bottom of the elevator shaft.

"For protection," he explained. Of course, it was more for THEIR protection, because Suzaku was fairly certain that, had he been alone, dodging gunfire would've been a simple task. But with the women behind him, there would be no dodging, not unless he was moving into a bullet's path.

"Nunnally will be alright, won't she, Suzaku?" Euphemia murmured. She started to reach for his hand, remembered the gun, and instead reached for Nina's, squeezing it tightly.

"I don't think anyone would kidnap Nunnally just to harm her," Suzaku said, which he firmly believed. If anything, kidnapping a wheelchair-bound girl, who would eventually require far too much maintenance, would be counterproductive. This had to be because of Nunnally's royal blood, and nothing else. He hated that fact, and was fully prepared to kill the kidnapper, if only to keep Nunnally's secret. Lelouch would expect that of him, and Suzaku could only hope that Euphemia and Nina could be convinced not to watch.

The long hallway leading from the elevator was strangely clear, with no hindrances in sight. Suzaku didn't know what to make of that, but wouldn't allow himself to become complacent. He made sure the women stayed at least ten feet behind him, just in case. Euphemia was predictably annoyed, but Nina was all too happy to keep to the rear, suddenly a lot less brave. Suzaku felt for her, recalling what she'd been through, but it was her own fault for coming along.

Without warning, a sharp blade was pressed against Suzaku's throat.

"That will be far enough, Major," said a voice in his ear. "The Viceroy asked not to be disturbed."

Suzaku froze as his gaze slid to the side, taking in the frowning face of what appeared to be a fellow student around Nunnally's age.

"Cornelia is here?" Euphemia asked in shock. "Why?"

"You would have to ask her that, Your Highness. You, and you alone, may pass. Your companions will have to wait here, I'm afraid."

"Don't you want to let us through?" Nina asked softly.

The boy simply stared at her. "No."

Nina blinked, clearly startled. "Huh?"

"I dislike repeating myself. Only Princess Euphemia may proceed."

"If you're following the Viceroy's orders," Suzaku said slowly, "then you have no reason to harm us."

"Unless you violate the Viceroy's command. Then, I would have to kill you."

* * *

"Here are the operating manuals," Prince Schneizel said, holding out two thick folders. "Don't worry too much about the details, as they'll go through some revision before it's even combat ready."

Gino and Anya traded glances before each taking a folder.

"So," Gino said slowly after only glancing at the first page, "not only do you want us to pilot a Knightmare that doesn't even exist yet, but you want us to do it together? As in at the same time?"

"Precisely."

Gino blinked and opened his mouth.

"When do we begin, Your Highness?" Anya asked, cutting him off. Gino frowned and pouted at her, but she ignored him.

"You'll be summoned the moment that the Gawain is completed," Schneizel answered.

"But, um, isn't this going to look bad?" Gino asked. "I mean, what are people going to say when they find out that the Knight of Three has a partner? I'll never live it down!"

"I wouldn't worry about that. I suspect that Anya isn't far from becoming a Knight of the Rounds herself."

"...which really means you're going to recommend her to the Emperor yourself, right?"

"Yes, but it's hardly necessary at this point. He's taken a special interest in Anya's progress."

"Oh, yeah?" Gino nudged Anya. "Hear that, little buddy? You're on the fast track!"

"...there aren't enough weapons," Anya said, frowning as she looked up from the folder in her hands.

"Um, did you miss the part about the Hadron-"

"There aren't enough weapons," Anya repeated firmly, glaring at him.

"Show me you've mastered the improvements to the cannons, and then we'll talk," Schneizel promised. "We have to show that the Gawain is worth improving upon first."

* * *

Nunnally could not recall a time in her life when she had been more frightened, and that was saying something. Despite all the evidence she'd provided, from shared memories to secrets only a handful of people alive would know, Cornelia still didn't seem to believe she was authentic. That alone was enough to break Nunnally's heart, but even that was overshadowed by the fact that Cornelia apparently intended to kill her. She had already killed Mao, although admittedly, he probably would've killed Nunnally eventually, as well. But at least in his case, she'd had some idea of why.

Cornelia could not seem to accept that Nunnally was who she claimed to be, that she hadn't been dead all of this time. The truly confusing part was that the Cornelia that Nunnally remembered would've protested, almost violently, any indication that she could be mistaken over such a thing. But this Cornelia was almost robotic in her refusals, with little or no emotion used.

It didn't make any sense. Euphemia hadn't taken anywhere near this much convincing, but Nunnally thought she knew why. Of all her siblings, only Lelouch had been closer to her than Euphemia. But even then, it was Euphemia that Nunnally had spent the most time with as a child. So it made sense that only Euphemia would dare to hope that she wasn't really killed in Japan. She'd been ready to believe that Nunnally was alive, but Cornelia had long since decided on the opposite. There would be no convincing her today.

"You have proven nothing, save that you are a very convincing imposter," Cornelia decided at last. "But you will shame my sister's memory no longer. Have you any last words?"

For the first time in a long time, Nunnally opened her eyes. She could see nothing, of course, but faintly hoped that the sight might make Cornelia hesitate, at least for a while. "I-I love you, Cornelia. Please believe me. I am your sister..."

Nunnally could not see it, but Cornelia's hand trembled slightly as she pointed the gun at the girl's head. "My sister is dead. And now, so are you."

Nunnally closed her eyes. "I love you, Cornelia," she whispered again, just before she was silenced by gunfire.

* * *

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look like a soldier."

Rolo smirked at Suzaku. "Neither do you, yet here we are."

"What I mean is that you don't seem like the type that the Viceroy normally employs."

"I'm not. You might say I'm assisting her, for the moment. But my own mission is ultimately distinct from her purposes."

Nina couldn't understand how they were carrying on a conversation, since Rolo had yet to remove the knife from Suzaku's neck. She also didn't understand why her Geass hadn't worked on Rolo, and why Euphemia had been gone for so long. Really, it was only a few minutes, but when they had no indication of what was happening in the room beyond them, it seemed like much longer.

Suddenly, a single gunshot rang out behind the closed door.

Rolo smiled. "Ah. It seems my services are no longer required."

Without warning, he was gone. In his place, however, was a small device that began to whine shrilly.

"GET BACK!" Suzaku shouted, tackling Nina to the ground just before the device exploded.

* * *

When Nunnally woke up, someone was holding her gently, and a sweet voice was calling her name, although there was definitely some panic gradually slipping into it. She recognized the voice at once, but it took a few tries for her to gather her wits enough to answer.

"E-Euphie? How did you get here?"

"That's not important, sweetie. Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?"

Nunnally felt hot and sweaty, and distinctly uncomfortable with her surroundings despite Euphemia's comforting presence, but considered none of that to be pain. She could feel some lingering aches from where Mao had prodded her arms, but those hardly seemed important now.

"I'm fine," Nunnally said at last. "W-Where's Cornelia?"

There was a slight pause, and then Euphemia's gentle embrace tightened, almost to the point of pain. "I need to get you out of here, Nunnally. It's not safe."

Nunnally could tell from the pain in Euphemia's voice that Cornelia was a very touchy subject at the moment, and fell silent as she felt Euphemia pushing her wheelchair along some slightly bumpy ground. She had no idea where they were, but trusted that Euphemia either knew where she was going, or at least knew enough to get them away from some previous danger they'd encountered.

They'd only been moving for a few minutes when the ground started to shake.

* * *

Being inside the Guren without physically being in it was a new experience for Kallen. She kept thinking of herself as the Guren, an easy mistake to make, since her eyes were technically the Guren's cameras at the moment. So far, the red Knightmare had responded to all of her mental commands with no problems. Even better, she'd been running for miles without feeling the slightest bit of fatigue. Then again, could a machine get tired?

Her worry for Nunnally only grew when Kallen spotted black smoke rising from one of Ashford Academy's storage sheds, but Nunnally's beacon was thankfully nowhere near that location, and still moving, in fact.

Kallen moved the Guren out onto the school's front lawn, slightly ahead of the beacon, which seemed to be coming from underground. It took two superheated punches to rip a gaping hole through the lawn and directly into the sewer system, and Kallen found herself briefly hoping that Rolo was down there, just so she could squeeze and burn him at the same time. She'd found out that despite her body not being present, the Guren somehow still projected her voice through its outer speakers, which would be handy now, since Nunnally had obviously never seen the Guren.

"Nunnally!" she shouted into the darkness. "Can you hear me?!"

There was a pause that seemed to take forever, and then Nunnally wheeled into view, accompanied by Euphemia herself. Kallen wasn't sure whether to feel surprised or relieved.

"Kallen?" Nunnally asked uncertainly. "Why are you in a Knightmare?"

Kallen almost asked how Nunnally knew that, but reminded herself that Euphemia wasn't blind. She had promised to be honest with Nunnally when possible, and lying suddenly didn't seem like an option. "Well, I'm not actually in it. I'm operating it remotely."

"Then how did you get it?"

"I'm one of the Black Knights, Nunnally."

Both Nunnally and Euphemia looked surprised, but not unpleasantly so, which in turn surprised Kallen a great deal.

"I'll go with you, but only if Euphie can come, too," Nunnally said at last.

"Your... friend?" Kallen asked slowly. She had revealed her own secret, but she would allow Nunnally to keep her own.

"No. My sister," Nunnally replied, reaching back to squeeze Euphemia's hand.

"Alright. Then let's get you two out of there before anything else happens today."

* * *

Lelouch gained a newfound respect for women, or at least for Kallen in particular, the moment she reported in. Not only had she managed to pick up Nunnally and Euphemia at Ashford, but she'd had the foresight to place both girls inside the Guren, while carefully carrying Nunnally's wheelchair in the right claw. And somehow, the sight of Euphemia, stretched out over the motorcycle seat of the Guren's cockpit, with Nunnally clinging to her back, each of them trying to talk to him at the same time, left him in such a good mood that he'd actually gone back and apologized to C.C. for his harsh words earlier. She hadn't really accepted his apology, but she had saved the last slice of pizza for him, a practically unheard of honor.

That call was in sharp contrast to the one from Suzaku minutes later. He'd been frantic with worry and sorrow, convinced that Nunnally, Euphemia, and Cornelia had perished in the explosion. That had been news to Lelouch, as no one had mentioned Cornelia before. He'd barely managed to interrupt Suzaku's endless string of apologies long enough to point out that at least two of his sisters had survived. Somewhat to Lelouch's annoyance, however, Suzaku immediately stated his intentions to search for Cornelia, once Nina had gotten medical treatment. That was a little troubling, because Suzaku was just bullheaded enough to save Cornelia from what might otherwise be a well-timed death.

* * *

Euphemia was drained, both emotionally and physically. In many ways, this been the longest day of her life, and all she really wanted to do was crawl into a bed somewhere, curl up with Nunnally, and sleep for a week, only to wake up and find Lelouch waiting on them with a tray of exotic chocolates.

Her life had never been quite THAT perfect, however, so for the moment, she was content with the reassuring sensation of Nunnally's head resting against her back, and enjoyed the peaceful silence that surrounded them as the Guren transported them to wherever Kallen intended to take them. But even that didn't last too long.

"Euphie?" Nunnally suddenly murmured.

"Yes, Nunnally?"

"I-I'm sorry for what I said before. About us not really being sisters. I didn't mean it."

Euphemia smiled. "I know you didn't, sweetheart. It's okay."

"No, it isn't! You shot Cornelia to save me!"

The lie had formed on Euphemia's lips almost without thought. "I haven't thought of Cornelia as my sister for a while now."

"You're lying," Nunnally whispered, but she didn't sound angry, just sad. "I felt you crying when you hugged me."

"Cornelia... was sick, Nunnally. She stopped being our sister when that happened. She never would've pointed a gun at you otherwise."

"It's because she thought I was dead, isn't it? Like you used to?"

"Yes, but I accepted that you were alive all this time. Cornelia couldn't or wouldn't, assumed you were an imposter, and tried to kill you."

Nunnally's arms squeezed Euphemia's waist a little tighter. "I promise I'll convince Lelouch to let you take our name."

Euphemia gasped. "Nunnally, you don't have to-"

"I don't care what anyone says. You're my real sister, Euphie. You always have been, and I'll never stop loving you for it."

There were no words to express how happy that simple statement made Euphemia, but Nunnally seemed to know, anyway. Because when Euphemia lowered her head in a fruitless attempt to conceal her tears, Nunnally's hand reached out to brush her chin with a much needed tissue. And it didn't surprise Euphemia in the least, because it was just the sort of a thing a true little sister would know about her older sister.

"There is one good thing about tonight," Nunnally said softly.

"Oh? What's that?" Euphemia asked, wiping her face.

"You get to stay with us now."

Euphemia froze. She hadn't thought of that before, but it made sense. She couldn't possibly go anywhere else, not after what she'd done tonight. She'd need Lelouch's, no, Zero's protection now. Without him, she'd be hunted down and executed.

"You can sleep with me," Nunnally continued. "I share a room with Kallen, and she doesn't snore at all. I know Lelouch will smile a lot more with you around. It'll almost be like it was back then."

"How do you know that I don't snore?" Euphemia asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"If you do, I'll just plug up my ears with my hair."

Euphemia snorted. "You wouldn't!"

"You're right," Nunnally giggled. "If you were already asleep, I'd probably just use yours."

* * *

Zero had known that having Kaguya around the base would be a real morale booster for the Black Knights. She was a living symbol of Kyoto's support, and beyond that, inspiring in her own right. But even he had been unprepared for the way in which she decided to... inspire.

He'd actually expected the dancing and sing-alongs, though. It was Kaguya, after all.

What he hadn't expected was to walk into the cafeteria to find Kaguya dancing on top of a table, directing a sing-along... while dressed as a miniature version of C.C. She'd even gone to the trouble of dying her hair green and using colored contact lenses. Zero might have mistaken her for the real thing, except that she was shorter and visibly happy. That, and C.C. NEVER would've gleefully bounced off of the table and into his arms.

"What," Zero said intelligently, "are you doing?"

"Everyone looked so serious and droopy, so I thought I'd cheer them up!" Kaguya chirped, latching onto his neck.

"But why are you dressed like her?" Zero demanded. He'd just made up with C.C., and he had a feeling this would not go over well once she found out.

"I noticed you two weren't getting along," Kaguya replied, "so I thought I'd try to make her jealous by showing that you don't really need her with me around."

While he could appreciate Kaguya's motives, Zero was tempted to drop her. "Did it ever occur to you that this might only alienate her further?"

"Yes," she answered, "but I think it'll hurt her pride more than her feelings. What would you do if someone was imitating you in front of your men?"

Zero briefly pictured a miniature version of himself being thrown from a cliff. "...you'd better stay close to me for a while."

"Okay!" Kaguya said brightly. She couldn't see it beneath his mask, but Zero was more than a little creeped out by C.C.'s face grinning at him that way.

* * *

At that very moment, C.C. was busy doing one of her favorite activities: curling up on Lelouch's bed with Cheese-kun, and, of course, thoroughly enjoying the fact that it was Lelouch's bed in the first place. This had very little to do with any hidden feelings for him, though: she just liked stealing his bed. Anyway, his bed at the base was much more comfortable than the one at Ashford, and she had technically claimed this one before he had (but only after he'd claimed the rest of the room).

C.C. was eventually disturbed by the chirping of the cell phone Lelouch had given her for emergencies. Sighing, she answered the phone and asked, "What?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Sayoko said, "but I think it's time Lelouch told Nunnally about Zero, don't you?"

"...I'll leave the door open for you."

"Thank you."

Sighing again, C.C. hung up. "At this rate, it'll be easier to keep track of the people who DON'T know."

* * *

"What the hell, Kallen?!" Tamaki shouted the moment the Guren rolled to a stop inside the storage bay. "I've been going out of my mind, trying to figure out what to tell Zero all this time!"

"Tamaki, shut up," Kallen's voice barked. "There's royalty present, not to mention innocent ears, and neither cares much for your tone."

Tamaki was about to start up again when he noticed what the Guren was carrying in its hand. It was a wheelchair. "You mean you went out just to save some old lady?!"

In the next moment, the Guren's cockpit slid open, and a shoe came flying out, smacking Tamaki right on the head.

"My little sister is NOT an old lady!" Euphemia shouted as she stuck her head out.

Tamaki gaped at her, forgetting all about the shoe. "Hey, aren't you...?"

"Extremely upset with you? Yes, I am!"

"NO! You're...HER! The princess! The young, stupid one!"

Euphemia's eyes narrowed in fury. "Nunnally," she said crisply, "hand me your other shoe."

A hand emerged from the cockpit with another shoe. This one caught Tamaki right between the eyes with such force that he went down in a heap.

"It sounds like your aim's really improved," Nunnally noted as Euphemia carefully picked her up.

"Not really. I was aiming much lower."

"...you're scary when you're in a bad mood, Euphie."

"NUNNALLY, DARLING!"

Nunnally's head snapped up as a new pair of arms wrapped her in a firm hug. "Kaguya?" she asked in surprise. "Is that you?"

"Oh, I've missed you so!" Kaguya cooed, kissing her cheek soundly. "And I have SO much to tell you!" It was then that she noticed Euphemia staring at her hair. "Yes?"

Euphemia blinked. "Um, excuse me, but how did you get up here so fast? And do you have an older sister?"

Kaguya giggled. "I climbed, silly! And there could only ever be one me! But enough about that! Lelouch must be worried sick about you two by now, so I'll take you straight to him."

"Did Lelouch bring you here?" Nunnally guessed. "As a surprise for me?"

"You could say that," Kaguya replied airily. "Come on, let's go! Oh, and I'll have someone collect and clean up your shoes later, dear."

* * *

Kallen slowly opened her eyes, smiling as she reminded herself that Nunnally was safe now. A deep feeling of relief washed over her.

It faded the moment she noticed Shirley standing beside her hospital bed, hands trembling as she pointed a gun at Kallen's face.

"Shirley," Kallen said slowly, "what are you doing?"

"I-I'm going to shoot you," Shirley said, and her grip on the gun became more unstable as the words passed through her lips.

Kallen blinked. "I already apologized for hurting you, and Nunnally is still willing to be your friend. So there's no need to-"

"That's not what this is about!" Shirley shouted, tears streaming down her face. "Do you really think I would shoot someone just because of that?!"

"Then why are you doing this?"

"B-Because I can't let you hurt anyone else! I don't care if Nunnally isn't my friend anymore, or if Lelouch never looks at me the same. I refuse to let you hurt them!"

"Why would I hurt them?" Kallen asked, growing more confused by the moment.

"Why would you kill your own mother?" Shirley countered.

The blood drained from Kallen's face. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I talked to your stepmother!"

"If you mean the woman in my former home that didn't care whether I lived or died, you shouldn't trust anything she told you."

"But your mother IS dead," Shirley insisted. "I could tell by the look on your face just now!"

"Yes, she is," Kallen admitted, "but I didn't kill her. She was already dead when I found her."

Shirley's lips twisted into a pained smile. "That's why I have to kill you, Kallen. So you won't ever be able to say the same thing about Nunnally or Lelouch one day."

"I would never hurt Nunnally," Kallen swore. "I'm doing everything I can to protect her. And Lelouch can fend for himself. Why can't you see that?"

"You're lying," Shirley whispered. "I don't believe you."

"Can you really take the chance that I am lying? What if Nunnally really is in danger, and you kill one of the few people that can actually keep her safe? You should worry less about what I could do, and worry more about what Lelouch would do when he finds out you're the one responsible for allowing Nunnally to be harmed."

Shirley hesitated for a few seconds. Then she shook her head forcefully. "No! I can't trust you! You just don't want me to shoot you!"

Kallen very nearly rolled her eyes in exasperation: of course she didn't want to be shot, as she'd already been stabbed today, but she wouldn't want to be shot either way. Instead, Kallen decided to test Shirley's resolve. "Fine. Shirley, if you honestly think there's not one shred of good in me, and that I'm out to hurt Nunnally and Lelouch, then shoot me. But if anything bad happens to Nunnally as a result, I can promise you that not only will Lelouch never forgive you, he'll kill you himself."

Shirley's hands shook harder than ever then, but she at least had the gun still pointed remotely towards Kallen when the door opened.

"Shirley, I didn't know you'd be here-" Suzaku began as he stepped in, just before his eyes widened at the scene before him. "Shirley...?"

"She thinks I'm out to hurt Nunnally," Kallen explained, noticing his confused and alarmed look.

"She killed her own mother!" Shirley snapped.

"I told you she was already dead when I-!"

"No! NO!" Shirley glared at Kallen and centered the gun on her face again. "I-I can't let you live. You'll just hurt them..."

"Shirley," Suzaku said slowly, "you're not really going to do this, are you?"

"I don't WANT to," Shirley whispered. "But Nunna's been hurt enough, and Lulu never smiles anymore. I can't let her-"

"Kallen didn't kill her mother," Suzaku interrupted, "and I know for a fact she wouldn't do anything to Nunn-"

"You're WRONG!" Shirley shouted, glaring at him.

"Are you so sure that you're willing to end her life?" Suzaku asked. "I am your friend, Shirley, but I'm also a soldier. If you try to shoot Kallen, I'll have to arrest you."

"Arrest HER! She's the killer!"

"And you'll be no different if you do this. How are you going to keep Nunnally safe if you're in jail? There are other people who would want to hurt her. Now, give me that gun. I promise that I'll protect Nunnally and Lelouch, okay?"

Shirley whimpered and shook her head. "But she... she's,,,"

"If she ever tries to hurt Nunnally," Suzaku said, glancing over his shoulder at Kallen as he moved in front of Shirley, "I'll stop her myself." Kallen had no doubt that he meant it, too.

"Y-You promise?" Shirley asked weakly.

"I promise," Suzaku said solemnly, gently pulling the gun from her hand.

Shirley broke down then, sinking to the floor and burying her face in her hands as she sobbed.

"What are you even doing here, Suzaku?" Kallen asked. All things considered, she was now a little suspicious of everyone from school.

"I brought Nina in. She took a nasty bump on the head from... well, they'll probably make an announcement at school tomorrow. If we have school tomorrow. One of nurses recognized Nina's uniform. She told me someone else from our school was a patient here."

Kallen just grunted, closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. The sooner Sayoko came back and cleared all the weirdoes out of her room, the better off she'd be.

* * *

Although Lelouch had a very real idea of where he ended and Zero began in his mind, only now was it really becoming a serious problem. Because while Lelouch could be content with Nunnally's safe return, Zero needed more. Nunnally had told him everything that had happened to her, from Rolo kidnapping her to the Guren dropping off her and Euphemia. Of course, Lelouch knew that Euphemia had the details that Nunnally had missed, most importantly how seriously Cornelia had been wounded. But she looked even wearier than Nunnally, and part of him just wanted to let her sleep. Yet he still needed to know whether or not to expect some sort of reaction from Cornelia's men in the next few days, and he'd only be able to accurate predict that with news of the Second Princess's fate.

Euphemia surprised Lelouch by saving him the trouble of asking. Once Nunnally was done with her story, Euphemia asked her to go to bed, promising to join her once she'd spoken with Lelouch. Nunnally was understandably a little nervous about sleeping alone, but Kaguya promised to stay with her until Euphemia and Lelouch were done talking.

Lelouch suspected that Euphemia had another reason for staying behind, and she soon proved him right.

"Lelouch, I want your permission to join the Black Knights."

He could only stare at her, startled that she'd just come right out with it, but not with the request itself. She'd chosen her words carefully, he knew, so there would be no point in denying that he was Zero.

"Euphie, it isn't that simple," Lelouch sighed. "You don't know what-"

This was clearly not the answer she wanted. Nothing else could quite explain the force with which she slapped him.

"I think it's YOU that doesn't know," Euphemia whispered, her voice shaking with fury. "Maybe you haven't realized it because Nunnally is still in the dark about Zero. But I would've thought that you, of all people, would understand my position. I don't have any other options. I've betrayed the Royal Family. If you don't take me in, I'm dead, Lelouch. But it's more than just that. I'm tired of being useless. I want to do something good with my life. I refuse to just keep taking up space. I want to help you."

"You can do all of that without joining the Black Knights," Lelouch said, rubbing his stinging cheek. "Nunnally needs you, and-"

"Don't you dare hide behind her! She is not a shield or a distraction! She's our sister! If she can be your inspiration to change the world, then she can be mine, too!"

He shook his head. "You aren't ready for-"

"What else do I have to do?!" Euphemia demanded. "I threw away everything I knew for you, Lelouch! I defied the Empire! I put aside my feelings for Clovis and his memory! I..." Her voice trembled as tears rolled down her face. "I shot my own sister for you! All for you and your damned peace of mind! And still I'm not good enough for you?! How can you be so-"

"Overprotective?" Lelouch offered quietly.

She blinked and stared at him in shock. "...what?"

"I know you've been through a great ordeal, and that most, if not all of it, is my fault. But you seem to have forgotten two very important things, Euphie. I would do anything to protect the few precious things that I have left. And you have always been precious to me. Did you really think I would just place you on the front lines, where you could be hurt or worse? How could I continue to face Nunnally if I did that? How could I build a better world for her without our dearest sister in it? When I refuse you, I do so out of love and concern. It isn't that you aren't useful enough. It's that you're far too valuable to risk losing."

Euphemia said nothing for several moments, and Lelouch bit his lip, wondering if she would fall for his deception. The old Euphemia would have in a heartbeat, but this new one, which he was finding to be increasingly frustrating and unpredictable, was an unknown. His words had not been a lie, not at all, but at the same time, he was using them to manipulate her. He could just as easily have felt that way without saying so, refusing her request and dealing with her stubbornness head-on. But Lelouch was starting to understand that the more Euphemia made her own decisions, the less likely she was to back down from direct opposition. His only hope was to consistently remind her of the fact that, however infuriating she might find him to be, he was still very dear to her as well.

"You really are a genius, Lelouch," Euphemia finally admitted with a soft smile. But then she stepped much closer to him, until their noses were nearly touching. "And I may not know chess, but despite what you may think, I do know you. We both know that I'm of more use to you as an ally than a prisoner. Besides, you won't be able to continue fooling both your men and Nunnally for much longer. Someone has to be told the truth, and I'll only help you with Nunnally."

Somehow, those words hit Lelouch even harder than her slap had. Nunnally had mentioned, however briefly, that Kallen had admitted to being a member of the Black Knights. It was the only way to explain the Guren, and Nunnally might not have been able to continue trusting her otherwise. But Nunnally had also failed to question him on the matter. Either she was willing to wait and ask for more information later, or she was just waiting for Lelouch to come to her on his own. The thought of the latter absolutely terrified him, though.

What if Nunnally didn't understand, or didn't agree with his logic? What if his killing Clovis was just too much for her to forgive?

What if he had become Zero for nothing?

If Nunnally turned away from him, he would have no purpose, no reason to go on living.

Euphemia must have guessed his thoughts, because she wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him closer to her as she hugged him. "Don't worry, Lelouch. If Nunnally can forgive me for shooting Cornelia, she can forgive you."

"It isn't the same," he murmured into her shoulder.

"You did it for her, the same as me. It just may take her a while to see that."

"What if she doesn't?"

"She will. She has to."

"But what if-"

"It's just the three of us now," Euphemia interrupted. "We're a family again, and we can't afford to lose each other. If nothing else, Nunnally will understand that. She may not like it, but she'll understand, and she'll still love you as much as I do."

"I wish I had your faith, Euphie."

Euphemia smiled and gently kissed the same cheek she'd slapped earlier. "Well, you have me now, so that's even better."

* * *

Although Rolo was the one known for manipulating time, he often found it unnerving how much more capable his master was in comparison to himself.

Upon his return to V.V.'s lair, Rolo had knelt before him, ready to deliver his report.

But V.V. had merely waved his hand dismissively and said, "There is no need, Rolo. I already know every detail concerning your mission."

Rolo was left blinking in confusion as V.V. walked away, only realizing he was meant to follow when V.V cleared his throat.

"There are two aspects of your mission that I wanted clarified, however," V.V. said at length. "Why did you not simply kill the redhead?"

Rolo opened his mouth to answer, paused, and admitted, "I don't know."

"Yes, you do," V.V. said, smiling in a rather eerie fashion. "At least, part of your mind does, even if the rest of you doesn't. You sensed she had a Geass, and that she might prove useful to me later on."

This was news to Rolo, and he was unable to keep the shock out of his expression.

"Don't look so surprised. I have told you several times not to underestimate the effectiveness of your CG field."

It took some effort for Rolo not to roll his eyes. V.V. had invested a great deal of time into studying what he called chrono Geass fields. According to him, any Geass user who could in some way manipulate time was surrounded by a number of "time particles" at any given moment, numbering from anywhere between a handful to thousands, depending on the nature of their Geass. The more offensive their Geass, the less time particles that made up their personal CG fields. Rolo's last count had been around seven. Meanwhile, the Reid twins individually had never scored less than 750, while their combined field was some ridiculously high number that V.V. had never been able to pinpoint. Their father, Socrates, maintained a respectable 490. Well, it was respectable if you believed in any of it, which Rolo didn't. But that, according to V.V., was because Rolo's Geass was generally used for offense, so he naturally had a weaker CG field. The Reids had stronger fields because their Geass provided almost no offense or defense whatsoever.

But perhaps the oddest thing about CG fields was that not even V.V. could accurately state their function. In theory, they would offer protection to their owners, but V.V. kept the Reids so highly guarded that there had never really been a chance to test the theory out. Only Diethard, the eldest son, had been allowed to venture out into the world, and that was because he had never developed a Geass or a CG field. Naturally, V.V. had lost all interest in him some time ago.

So far, V.V. had attributed a number of odd happenings around Rolo to his CG field. But Rolo considered this one of his master's more curious quirks, and largely ignored any reference to CG fields. V.V. didn't have one, and never had, so why should they matter to either of them?

"You had another concern?" Rolo asked, eager to move on.

"Yes," V.V. murmured as they stepped into dimly lit room with a large, glowing cylinder standing upright in its midst. "Exactly why did you feel it necessary to save Cornelia?"

Rolo stared at the sleeping princess contained within the cylinder, his mind drawing another blank. "Did you want her to die?" He was fully prepared to kill her, but he had not been ordered to, yet.

"It doesn't matter. She is alive. Euphemia has horrible aim, even with the one lesson Suzaku was able to give her. I would guess that the only reason Cornelia didn't kill her immediately was out of sheer shock."

Rolo could agree with that. Whatever Euphemia had been aiming for, she'd only hit Cornelia high in the left arm. Even so, Cornelia's body had not responded well while under the spell of Geass: she'd just frozen, as if failing her mission had paralyzed her. She hadn't moved since, not even as Rolo dragged her out of the flames.

V.V. smirked. "My brother only grows more impulsive... and sloppy. As usual, I'll clean up his mess. We can salvage Cornelia, I think. Once I have her hand over control of the army to Schneizel, she'll have no duties to conflict with all the improvements I'll make on her."

"Won't someone investigate?"

"No. Charles will see it as weakness, brought on by Euphemia's betrayal. He won't bother to look beyond the idea that she is 'unfit' to take the throne. Imagine how fit she'll be if I decide to give her a Geass."

It was rather easy for Rolo to identify the mischievous sparkle in his master's eyes. "You have one in mind already?"

"Cornelia is a quality soldier, and in his own bumbling way, Charles has laid the groundwork for a perfect assassin. And you can never have too many of those. I may even bless her with my old Geass..." V.V. smiled and gently ran his hand over the cylinder. "Yes, a fine idea, indeed."

"But... aren't you still using it?" Rolo asked.

V.V. chuckled. "I know it must seem that way at times, but no, Rolo. The immortality that comes with my Code is my only gift now. Everything else, I've had to work for. It isn't my Geass that you've been experiencing, but a mere facsimile. Admittedly, a very efficient and powerful one, but still just a copy."

Rolo had no idea what to make of that, since V.V. had never plainly stated what his Geass had been. But he always held every detail of anything that mattered to him, and never gave even the slightest hint of how he obtained. Rolo often felt that V.V. had eyes everywhere, but he was never able to locate any other than the obvious two...

* * *

The comment that Gino had most often received from his instructors in military school was that he was quick to adapt to any situation, no matter how perilous or confusing it might be.

He was willing to bet none of them had ever emerged from a shower, naked and wet, to find Anya standing there, staring at them expectantly.

But because it was Anya, Gino merely blinked and stared back at her. There was no point in covering up: given how frequently Anya took pictures of the most random things, she had to have gotten him naked at least twice by now. Although she probably hadn't even had the decency to stare, and certainly not to drool a bit.

"Uh, hey," Gino finally said, when it became obvious that she was waiting for him to do something. "Did I give you a key and forget?"

"No," Anya replied simply.

Gino looked past her to see the door to his room standing wide open. The doorknob was lying on the floor, and the hole where it had once been was riddled with bullet holes. "Oh." He was slightly relieved, actually. When Anya had first started visiting him, he'd had to teach her that it wasn't polite to park her Knightmare nearby... like in the middle of his living room. After far too many similar incidents, the military had insisted that he move into a new, temporary barracks every month, just in case Anya forgot herself again. Gino liked traveling, so it wasn't a big deal, and all the new environments kept Anya occupied with her pictures, mostly.

"So I assume you're not here to peek at my hot bod?" Gino asked with regret, reaching for a towel.

Anya showed him her hands, which were practically encrusted in dirt and grass.

"You need a shower, too?" he guessed.

"I forgot again," Anya said softly.

"To wash your hands?"

"I forgot," Anya repeated, but with emphasis on every word. "Again."

"Oh. OHHHHHH." Gino blinked. "Ah, sorry?"

"Help me remember," she all but demanded. "What did we do today?"

"Uh, breakfast with Euphemia and Suzaku. Then we went sightseeing. Then I came here while you did some more sightseeing. I watched a movie, had some popcorn and soda, took a shower. Then I came out, and you were here ogling me."

Anya ignored that last part, unfortunately. "I think I was digging."

"Without a shovel, or a Knightmare? What, did you want to get dirty?"

"I don't know. I think whatever I was digging for, it was small and possibly delicate. Rough handling might have damaged it."

"So did you find, uh, whatever it was you were digging for?"

She frowned. "I... don't think so. I seem to recall feeling upset."

Gino smirked. "Well, I'd hope you wouldn't kill my door if you were happy."

If Anya got the joke, she didn't show it. "I'll retrace my steps now. Or try to."

She was turning to leave, and Gino intended to let her, but something made him reach out and grasp her hand, gently but firmly.

Anya turned to look at him as if he was the one with amnesia. "I can't leave if you don't let go."

"That's because I don't want you to leave. Yet, I mean. Sit down for a minute. What if you forget again while you're out there? You need a good night's sleep first, and somewhere that I don't have to worry about you."

"I think I should-"

"Anya, if you try to leave, I will chase you and shoot you down," Gino said seriously.

Anya nearly reminded him that it was far more likely she'd shoot him down, and then drag him back here to recuperate. But either way, it was looking like she'd be stuck here for the night. "Why?"

"Because you're my little buddy, and I'm scared to death that you'll wake up in a ditch somewhere and forget to call me for help. Now, sit."

Blinking very slowly, Anya sat.

Gino sighed as she stared up at him from the bathroom floor, no doubt getting an excellent view of his naughtiest bit. "Okay, I meant the couch, but we'll work on that later."

* * *

"Is this really going to work?"

Zero wanted to ignore Kaguya's question as he looked out over the assembled might of the Black Knights, but he had his own doubts. Already they were suspicious that he'd asked them all to completely disarm before entering the room, but it was a necessary precaution. "Whether it does or not, you promised to support me in this."

"It's not my support you need to worry about," Kaguya reminded him, and he didn't pull away when she reached over to give his gloved hand a quick squeeze.

"The Black Knights are quickly changing the world!" Zero said, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd. "But we ourselves must also be willing to change. So many of the people we reach out to save are still too wary or afraid to accept or ask for our help. They see me as the face of the Black Knights, and they fear me. If we are to continue moving forward, we must adopt a new face. Instead of fear, this face shall inspire hope. Now, I must ask you to resist your first instincts, and allow me to explain the situation further. I give you the new face of the Black Knights: former Second Princess of Britannia, Euphemia li Britannia!"

There was absolute silence as Euphemia stepped out onto the stage and took Zero's offered hand, and then the room exploded in protests. In the first row, Tamaki looked particularly angry, holding a damp cloth to a large bump on his head.

"Have I not brought you this far?" Zero shouted. "Have I not earned your trust?"

The noise lessened considerably, but there was still plenty of dissatisfied muttering as Euphemia began to speak.

"I first met Zero when he chose to save my life. At the time, I didn't understand why. But I think, even then, he knew that this day would come. He understood that those Britannia considers unfit to rule are either cast out, or crushed beneath the Empire's boot. I had to experience this firsthand before I could accept it. And now that I have, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to see Britannia fall."

"Even if that's true, why do we need her?!" Tamaki demanded loudly. "Why not some other princess?"

"Because only Euphemia is a princess of the people," Zero declared. "Have you ever known Guinevere, Cornelia, or Carline to visit hospitals and orphanages? Do they ever appear at public functions that in no way benefit their status? Only Euphemia has the power to draw the people to us. Only she can take away their fear of us."

"Zero is correct, as usual."

Everyone turned to one of the newer faces in the Black Knights: that of Diethard Ried. Most of the others were still hesitant to trust a Britannian, but Zero had approved his membership personally.

"I know a thing or two about image, and she's the only way to improve yours. It'll make for quite a scandal, and it's best that you get your version out first, before Britannia has a chance to give theirs to the public."

"You're just saying that because you're a Britannian!" Tamaki growled.

"A Britannian who practically ran the highest-rated news show in existence. My origin shouldn't matter as long as my results improve yours, and they have. Or did you really think all that positive press just happened miraculously?"

"Diethard is more than qualified to deal with that aspect of our operation," Zero confirmed. "He will be working with Euphemia to improve our public image. None of us is better suited to speak to the Britannian public. If any of you still object, I will of course consider any better ideas."

There was no response, as Zero had expected. These were simply soldiers, and only Diethard had the first clue about public relations.

In a surprise move, Euphemia bowed deeply at the waist. "I promise to do my best to serve Zero alongside each of you!"

This was met with some scattered, hesitant approval, but little else.

"Well," Kaguya sighed, "it could've gone worse, at least. So now we have our Black Princess."

Zero chuckled. "No. She was stripped of that title, and unfortunately, Kaguya, you aren't in the running, either. That makes her our Black Queen."

"Then I should get to be Black Princess by default!" Kaguya whined, stomping her foot.

"Zero," Euphemia hissed under her breath as she leaned towards him, "this isn't what we talked about! I'm not a queen!"

"You agreed to follow my orders, just like everyone else here," he reminded her, "and I say that you are."

* * *

Nunnally was becoming more and more that everyone around her held certain secrets that she was not meant to question. For example, when Sayoko had mysteriously shown up last night, with no explanation as to how she'd found her way to the Black Knights' base, Nunnally had been so relieved to know Mao hadn't harmed her that she hadn't bothered to question it.

But that was okay. Nunnally had known Sayoko long enough to trust her completely, so one odd night didn't bother her, considering what she'd just barely survived.

What did bother her was that Lelouch, despite having her returned to him safely, had been keeping his distance. Nunnally knew her brother was not the most affectionate person, but this was simply not normal behavior for him. So far, he had only offered a brief hug and a quick kiss on the forehead, and she hadn't really gotten a chance to enjoy either. She tried to justify this, of course, telling herself that Lelouch was busy making sure she was never kidnapped again. But both Euphemia and Kaguya had made time to sit with her, and that Lelouch hadn't not only concerned Nunnally, it hurt, a great deal more than she'd expected it to.

Lelouch had been busy before, but now it seemed like he was almost going out of his way to remain busy. True, it had only been one night, but even that was long enough for Nunnally to grow unsettled.

It was a huge relief, then, to wake up the next morning and feel Lelouch's hand gently stroking her hair. Even that was oddly affectionate for him, but Nunnally ignored this for the moment and latched onto him at once, burying her head in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Nunnally," he sighed, placing a long, tender kiss on her forehead. "I didn't mean to ignore you."

"It's okay," she whispered, and for the moment, it really was... so long as he intended to change that, anyway.

"There are some things I've been keeping from you," Lelouch admitted slowly.

Something in his tone worried her. "Bad things?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Do I really need to know?"

"I think it would be best, Nunnally. The longer I go without telling you, the more I feel like another person who isn't your big brother. I don't enjoy feeling that way at all."

Nunnally was quiet for several moments, and when she spoke again, each word was chosen carefully. "There's something you should know about me first."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"I learned a long time ago that in order to protect me, you'd have to wear different masks. I don't always like them, but in the end, you only wear them for my sake. So even if I don't like them, I'll always love the person underneath them. I just thought you should know that."

Lelouch said nothing, obviously stunned. Whatever he'd been expecting her to say, it wasn't that.

"And whatever you were going to tell me," Nunnally continued. "Please keep it to yourself a little longer, Lelouch. I already know too many secrets."

"But, Nunnally," he murmured in slight protest, "you need to know. You deserve to know!"

"But I don't want to know," Nunnally whispered. "And I think you're a little afraid to tell me, too. I don't need you to be afraid of me right now, Lelouch. I just need my big brother to hold me."

Lowering his head in defeat, Lelouch nodded into her shoulder. "Alright, Nunnally. If that's what you want."

"It is," she replied, gently running her fingers through his hair.

Lelouch closed his eyes and released a sigh of frustration, allowing Nunnally's soft, slim fingers to soothe away his doubt. But he was so focused on not revealing his true feelings that he missed the single tear that rolled down Nunnally's left cheek.

**End of Part 8.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Devil in Miss Alstreim**

As Ashford recovers, Suzaku finds himself torn between duty to his princess, and the empire. But he gets an oddly helpful push from Anya, who really isn't herself.

* * *

Endnotes:

Totally making up what V.V.'s old Geass might have been. No proof, mind you, just a guess. More on that next time, maybe.

I made up the concept of CG fields, I think. Although the whole time, I was tempted to toss in an "It's over 9,000!" just for old time's sake.

Edit: I forgot, Anya doesn't have the Mordred yet... so replaced that reference with random, no-name Knightmares.

Other Edit: Gah, forgot that Kallen doesn't know Lulu is Zero, yet.


	9. The Devil in Miss Alstreim

Notes: A large part of this chapter was rebuilt from memory after I lost it in a computer crash. I also lost the Code Geass Wikipedia data that I use as reference. Consequently, there are bound to be more mistakes than usual. So don't be afraid to point them out.

Chapter Summary: In response to Euphemia's betrayal, Schneizel assumes command of the Imperial Army, and his first act is the deployment of the Euphemia Retrieval Squad, which includes Anya, Gino, and a conflicted Suzaku.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 9: The Devil in Miss Alstreim**

* * *

"Do I really have to wear this?" Euphemia asked. "I feel so... odd."

Zero didn't speak as he took in his sister's new dress. He'd asked Kaguya and Diethard to transform her, and they had gone about the task with great enthusiasm. The end result was essentially a party dress, which borrowed its design primarily from Zero's cape. The dress was black with golden trim, and thanks to a pair of long gloves, exposed only small portions of Euphemia's upper arms. It was not so different from anything she would normally wear, but then again, she probably only owned one black dress.

"We both know that you would look lovely in anything you wore, Euphemia," Zero said at last. "Must we really obsess over the details?"

The old Euphemia would've blushed and fell silent. This one, however, fully aware that it was her brother under the mask, just scowled. "You're only saying that so I'll stop complaining."

"True. I value your happiness, but at times your silence is just as enjoyable."

Euphemia frowned at him. "Just for that, I'm going to tell Kaguya about that ticklish spot on the back of your neck."

Zero shifted uncomfortably. "...she found that ages ago."

"Then I wonder if C.C. knows?"

He froze. "You wouldn't dare."

"Yes, I would. In the short time I've been here, I've noticed that no one gets under your skin quite the way she does. There must be a reason for that?"

"There is: she's a menace. A useful ally, but still a menace."

"Really. And do you often share your bed with allies?"

There were, of course, two different images that question summoned to his mind, and Zero had no idea which Euphemia was thinking of. Either way, he was glad to be wearing a mask. Thankfully, he was saved from answering, as Euphemia didn't wait for a reply.

"And while we're talking about beds, you need to know something. Nunnally is afraid to sleep alone now." She'd said it with no accusation, although she was disappointed that he even had to be told, but the obvious shock and guilt on his face as he removed his mask made her think twice.

"Since she was kidnapped?" he said quietly.

Euphemia nodded. "I've been staying with her. I don't mind it, of course, and I've told her that, but I don't think she believes me. She tries so hard not to be in the way-"

"She could never be in the way," Lelouch whispered. "All of this is for her."

"She might believe that, if she knew who Zero was."

"I tried to tell her," he insisted. "She wouldn't let me, or at least she didn't want to hear it. But I think she does know, or she strongly suspects. She even made me promise not to try again."

"Things can't go on this way, you know. As I become more involved with the Black Knights, there will be nights when I can't stay with her. I know Kallen, Sayoko, Kaguya, and C.C. don't mind, but they'll have commitments, too. And I know if we select someone just to stay with her, she won't allow it. What are we going to do, Lelouch?"

"Nothing. But I," Lelouch sighed, "am going to spend more time with her. If that doesn't work, then..."

"It'll help," Euphemia said, smiling softly as she gently cupped his cheek. "I know it will." Then her smile faded. "Is that door locked?"

The words were barely out of her mouth when the door opened, admitting a Kaguya who was practically skipping.

"I just got a note from the JLF!" Kaguya said excitedly, running over and placing it in Lelouch's hand.

He read the note quickly, and was more than a little impressed. It wasn't just from the JLF, it was from the Four Holy Swords, and they wanted to meet with him immediately. If he played this right, it would be the perfect chance to unveil Euphemia to the public. "Kaguya, please go ahead and make the arrangements. But tell me, do you know these people?"

"Oh, sure! I once even saw Chiba-chan naked!"

This was met with complete silence.

"How did you manage that?" Lelouch finally asked.

Kaguya giggled and shook her head. "Sorry, Zero-sama, but that is a story best saved for after I've become your wife!" She waved to Euphemia before leaving them alone again.

"Well, that settles it," Euphemia said. "Now you have to marry her."

"What? Why?" Lelouch asked.

"How else are we going to hear the rest of the story?"

"I am not a mere piece of meat to be married off for your entertainment."

"Of course not," she agreed with a smile. "You're a rather cute piece of meat."

* * *

Suzaku's greatest weakness was that he forced himself to take responsibility for everything that happened in his life, good or bad. This approach ensured two things: that he would always have a cause to fight for, and that he would never be happy for very long.

He told himself that it was all worth it, though. One day, he would become the Knight of One, and then he would hold all of Japan in his hands. When that day came, he would be responsible for every single Japanese life.

One would think that simply being responsible for one life then, even a Britannian one, would be simple by comparison.

But ever since he'd brought Shirley home with him and begged Lloyd to adopt her as well, things had only grown more and more complicated. It was crazy, but the only other option was to do nothing, and allow Shirley to just become another blank face locked away in a mental hospital somewhere.

Every doctor that examined Shirley said the exact same thing: she wasn't crazy, just extremely gullible. She could provide no excuse as to why Mao, a perfect stranger, had been able to talk her into attempting to kill Kallen. But it had happened, and as a direct result, she could no longer trust in her own judgment.

Instead, Shirley chose to rely entirely on Suzaku. He was the one who had stopped her from making a terrible mistake, and the only one who seemed willing and able to help her.

In truth, Suzaku had only been able to do so much. It was Lloyd who had changed Shirley's last name to Rosseau, so that her family could avoid embarrassment, and created the cover story that she was his recently orphaned niece. This unfortunately meant that Shirley Fenette had to have died in the explosion at Ashford. Suzaku didn't like the lie, but it got easier with each of Shirley's friends that he faced. It helped that the Ashfords had to be told the truth, so he at least had Milly to support him. But Milly insisted on visiting Shirley no less than twice a month, which meant Suzaku had to endure their whispers and giggling, most of which was no doubt about him.

Cecile was also a huge help, offering to include Shirley in her tutoring sessions with Suzaku. The two young women became fast friends, although Cecile's cooking only worsened with Shirley's help, something neither Lloyd nor Suzaku had thought possible.

But Suzaku's biggest problem, now that Shirley was living with him, was the inexplicable crush she'd developed on him. He could think of no other way to explain why Shirley suddenly began to hold his hand for no reason, or would entwine her arm with his, or otherwise touch him when it was completely unnecessary. Lloyd and Cecile were no help, they just thought it was funny how flustered Suzaku got at those times. But they hadn't known Shirley before, so they had no idea how completely out of character that sort of behavior was for her. Shirley had been in love with Lelouch for the entire time he'd known her, so the sudden transfer of her affections to Suzaku was both bothersome and worrying. Suzaku didn't know what frightened him more: that this could be the remnants of Mao's influence, or that Shirley might actually be in love with him.

Suzaku firmly thought of Shirley as a friend, and had no romantic feelings towards her. But he was very aware that even a simple refusal might further damage her already fragile mental state. On top of that, though he still had no idea whether Euphemia was alive or dead, and Suzaku felt that encouraging, or refusing to repel Shirley's advances was a betrayal of his feelings for Euphemia, which definitely WERE romantic in nature. But what would Euphemia think of him, if he allowed his feelings for her to harm a needy friend?

* * *

Anya's blog, "The Alstreim Archive," was one of the few things that she considered to be sacred. It contained daily accounts of her life which, while they were usually fairly boring, became increasingly important the more frequently that Anya forgot them.

Gino had learned this within his first week of being acquainted with Anya, largely because she kept taking pictures of him at the worst possible moments, such as when he was sneezing or yawning. Thankfully, Anya didn't upload all of the pictures she took to her blog, just the ones that she assumed would help jog her memory at a later date.

Anya hated to be disturbed while she was updating the blog, so any time Gino saw her using a computer, he stayed away unless she asked for his input. Neither wanted to risk interrupting her flow of ideas, out of fear that she might forget something vitally important. After all, the blog was one of the few constants in Anya's life, and perhaps the only thing that she had never, ever forgotten.

So on the day that "The Alstreim Archive" became "Flashdance: A Tribute to Lady Marianne vi Britannia," both of them were more than a little concerned. Anya woke Gino up that morning by sitting on his chest and shoving her laptop in his face, demanding to know if he knew anything about the sudden, drastic changes. There was no longer any mention of Anya in the blog, and several of the photos could only have from Marianne's private collection, which was sealed, and was certainly nothing that Anya should've had access to.

Anya was more upset by her life being erased, although she'd had the foresight to save copies of the original blog in several different places. There was no indication that any of those had been altered, at least, but Anya was reluctant to delete "Flashdance," anyway. For one thing, she still idolized Lady Marianne, and for another, she felt certain that she would only restore it at some point, so there was no point in even trying to get rid of it.

Gino could tell that Anya was a great deal more upset than she let on, as evidenced by the fact that she allowed him to hug her for a full twenty minutes. But he was determined to cheer her up, and asked to borrow her camera phone.

"Why?" Anya had asked, even as she handed it over.

"So we can make some new memories," Gino replied, holding the phone at angle and pulling her in close.

"How is a picture of our feet going to do that?"

"Hush, you," Gino muttered, but he redirected his aim until Anya stopped rolling her eyes. "Alright, on the count of three, say 'Gino is yummy!'"

Anya blinked, very slowly, and turned her head to look at him. Coincidentally, she did the latter just as the flash went off.

Gino, on the other hand, had been planning to plant a quick, mostly innocent kiss on her cheek. He missed. Sort of.

All Gino knew for sure was that he soon had a digital photo of himself kissing Anya on the lips, and a sinking feeling that she would NOT conveniently forgot this like he was hoping she would.

* * *

Kallen had always thought of paranoia as something of a useful extra sense. Considering that she was half-Britannian and half-Japanese, this was perfectly natural: someone was always bound to be after her. That she was also the pilot of the Guren only made this more the case, and she knew that Britannia would hunt her down inside of a day if they knew, as well.

Given all that, Kallen had no intention of staying in a hospital, where she was exposed and anyone could find her. Surely Sayako had checked the place out first, but considering Kallen had been bleeding all over her at the time, it would've been easy to miss something. Aside from that, Kallen had never liked hospitals much, and her experience with Shirley had only driven that point home again.

Besides, while Kallen was stuck there, Nunnally was without adequate protection. That could not go on.

What Kallen didn't take into consideration was that Zero had taken her irrepressible will into consideration.

As a result, the day that Kallen threw on her school uniform and snuck out of her room, she only made it five steps before a hand seized her shoulder from behind.

"You are surprisingly mobile for someone suffering from multiple stab wounds," said a familiar voice in her ear. "It looks like Zero's claims about you were not just empty boasts."

Kallen's eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder to see Nagisa Chiba staring at her. "You're the pilot from Narita."

"Yes. The Four Holy Swords have a contract with Zero, but only if you agree to help us."

"Help you with what?"

"Colonel Tohdoh has been captured by Britannia. If we don't act now, he will be executed. I realize it is he that owes you a debt, but-"

"I was getting bored in here, anyway," Kallen interrupted, smirking. "When do we leave?"

* * *

"Good morning, Cornelia. I am your uncle and guardian."

Those were the first words that Cornelia heard as she opened her eyes in the darkness, and despite the fact that she could recall no such arrangement, both the knowledge and the voice that gave it were soothing to her, so she continued to listen eagerly.

"You've been in a terrible accident, and forgotten many things. But I don't want you to worry, my dear. I've found you an excellent tutor."

Cornelia tensed as a bright light flashed in the darkness, slowly taking the shape of a young woman. She was composed entirely of a silver, shining material that sparkled with every movement.

"This is your tutor for the time being. She will teach you everything that you need to know. You may call her C3."

"First Lesson: Geass," C3 said coolly. "The mysterious power given to a select few. You will now receive a Geass that has been pre-selected especially for you: the Power of Absolute Reflection." With that, she raised her right hand, revealing a Geass sigil on her palm that blazed an angry red.

Cornelia knew what would happen long before C3 drifted closer to her, and so she began to scream as the incredible heat originating from C3's hand came closer and closer to her eyes.

"You will not die," C3 assured her in the same cold tone. "You will only wish you could..."

* * *

Suzaku knocked twice before easing open the door to Nina's hospital room. He was carrying a small but awkward potted cactus, and desperately hoping that Nina was the type of girl who would find such a gift interesting.

But as he walked in, Nina's eyes never left the television on the other side of the room, and when Suzaku saw why, he very nearly dropped the cactus.

Euphemia stared out at them from the raised hand of a Sutherland.

"They've been replaying it for the past ten minutes," Nina said softly, not even bothering to look at Suzaku.

Suzaku opened his mouth, but his reply was cut off as Euphemia began to speak.

"I am Euphemia li Britannia, former Third Princess of the Britannian Empire."

"'Former?!'" Suzaku asked sharply. "What does she-"

"Britannia has become nothing but a grand plague, contaminating everything it touches with greed and hatred. I have now witnessed for myself the harsh treatment of not only those people that Britannia has conquered, but of my fellow Britannians as well. And so I chose to stand with Zero and the Black Knights from this day forth! To those who love me, I ask you to stand back and watch our miracle unfold!"

Suzaku's hands went limp, and Nina snagged the cactus just as it began to slip from his fingers. "Nina, I... I have to go," he said numbly.

Nina watched him with a small frown, suspecting how he might be feeling. "Thanks for the cactus."

He murmured something and moved towards the door.

"She isn't in danger, you know."

Suzaku froze and looked over his shoulder at Nina, who was carefully studying her cactus. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, she isn't." Nina slowly raised her head to stare at him. "Not from the Black Knights, anyway."

Suzaku almost flinched, but instead said nothing as he left the room in a hurry. His cell phone began to ring the moment he was out in the hall, and Suzaku answered it with shaking hands. "Yes?"

"From the sound of your voice, you've seen the news, no doubt," Lloyd said in his ear. "You'd better get back here quickly. The Second Prince is asking for you, and he looks rather stressed. Oh, wait, he wants to talk to you."

"What?" Suzaku asked hoarsely, but the next voice he heard wasn't Lloyd's.

"Major Kururugi, I know you must have conflicting emotions right now. But Britannia needs you in this time of crisis, and I can think of no better person to bring Euphemia home safely. To that end, I would ask you to join my personal task force, the Euphemia Retrieval Squad. I can assure you that we will be the first to engage the Black Knights."

"Your Highness, the last part of Euphemia's message," Suzaku began in a rush.

"We know she was referring to Tohdoh. We'll be overseeing his execution, and I want you there in the Lancelot. Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury of time. I'll need an answer within the next few hours."

* * *

C.C. had partnered herself with many Geass users throughout her long existence, but Lelouch was the most frustrating and unpredictable. Every time she'd made up her mind about him, he did or said something that surprised her. And it was truly difficult to surprise someone who had been alive for so long, but Lelouch managed it consistently, whether it was intentional or not.

There were brief moments when Lelouch treated her like all the others had: as a treasure to be hoarded, a tool to be locked away until it was needed, or a valuable but insufferable thing that could ultimately be sacrificed for some greater purpose. And yet, there were times when Lelouch saw her as, and treated her like, what she actually was: an incredibly old person who had grown so weary of living that it was only right, no, human, to re-introduce a little light into her life.

C.C. wasn't sure whether to love or hate him for that, but to say that she didn't treasure each of those moments would be a lie.

And despite everything she'd learned about him, it had still shocked C.C. when Lelouch begged her to help Nunnally. Lelouch didn't normally beg, for one thing, but he was convinced that she was still mad about his choosing Nunnally's safety over C.C.'s desires. In truth, C.C. had expected that to happen eventually (much sooner than it had, really), and of all the things Lelouch could choose over her, Nunnally was one of the few she was willing to forgive him for. She understood, or had, once, what it was like to live completely for another person. Lelouch could not help the circumstances of his childhood that made Nunnally dependant on him for survival, any more than C.C. could alter her own tortured past.

Aside from that, Nunnally was probably the only person who not only treated C.C. as a person, but as a genuinely interesting one at that. This was a completely new experience, or at least a rare one. C.C. couldn't remember the last time anyone had been honestly interested in learning about her, aside from the probing, rapid-fire queries Lelouch had practically attacked her with moments after first finding her in his home. And those didn't really count, as he'd mostly given up when she refused to answer and stole his bed for the first time.

But Nunnally seemed to care about who she was and what she'd seen... and not just for research purposes, or because what Nunnally could see for herself was limited. It appeared that Nunnally, for whatever reason, actually liked her, and thought she was "neat." Hearing that word from Nunnally's lips had made C.C. pause in a way that worried her. It worried her because she was largely okay with it.

That would only lead to serious problems. Already C.C. had stopped thinking of Nunnally simply as Lelouch's sister, and more as someone to be protected. At one time, she could've passed this off merely as devotion to Marianne, but even that would not explain why C.C. found herself coordinating with Euphemia, Sayoko, and Kaguya as to who would spend how much time with Nunnally on any given day. The others all found interesting activities to occupy Nunnally's time, but C.C. rarely did anything other than sit with her. Nunnally was used to her being quiet, and claimed that the sound of C.C.'s breathing was soothing. She didn't know what to make of that, but Nunnally always thanked her afterwards, perhaps very aware of that the fact that C.C. had not been asked to do any of it.

C.C.'s first attempt to take away Nunnally's nightmares also turned out to be the last. Instead of inspiring shock images, as her touch was known to do with enemies, C.C. intended to reverse the process, and hopefully remove the images from Nunnally's mind entirely. With any luck, she might actually forget that she'd been kidnapped altogether, and C.C. had already warned Lelouch that there might be some short-term memory loss. Of course, there was a very good chance that C.C. would begin to experience the nightmares, but she'd slept through worse.

The attempt began well enough. All Nunnally had to do was sit there and think about the things that were bothering her, while C.C. touched her forehead and removed them one by one. They were almost done when Euphemia, not realizing what they were doing, walked up behind C.C. and touched her shoulder.

Although she'd known the risks, C.C. hadn't thought to lock the door. Only certain people even knew where Nunnally's room was, and of those, even less had access to it. But only Lelouch knew anything about C.C.'s powers in detail, and she hadn't even told him about this aspect of them. It was far too private, and far too tempting, if he ever wanted answers that she wasn't willing to provide.

C.C. jerked away from them both as soon as she was able, but not before she got a flash of Euphemia and Nunnally as children, holding hands and laughing as they ran through a field of flowers.

There was a long, tense silence, and then it happened.

"C.C.," Nunnally said softly, "you knew my mother?"

"You didn't just know her, you two were friends," Euphemia whispered, unable to keep the accusing tone out of her voice. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

She thought about saying nothing, but that wouldn't have satisfied Marianne at all. "My memories are private. There is no one I feel comfortable sharing them with."

"But you had to know what they might mean to us," Euphemia insisted. "To Nunnally especially!"

"And yet there are things about Marianne that neither of you are ready to learn. I am under no obligation to share my memories with you."

"Does Lelouch know about this?" Euphemia demanded. "He doesn't, does he?"

C.C. closed her eyes in annoyance. "There's no point in arguing. You can't do anything. Lelouch and I have a contract. He won't like it, but he will take my side in this."

"You're wrong, C.C.," Nunnally whispered. "My brother will be very angry if he finds out about this. Don't make him choose sides. I don't want him to make you leave."

Euphemia stared at her sister in disbelief. "Nunnally, she doesn't trust us. I'm starting to think she doesn't even like us much."

"She doesn't have to, Euphie. She likes my mother, and Lelouch needs her. You said so yourself."

"Don't get your hopes up," C.C. warned her. "I may never tell you anything."

Nunnally smiled and shook her head. "One day I hope you'll understand, C.C. You make us happy just by being here."

* * *

Nina knew she was in the hospital for little more than a bump on the head, and that she could've been released days ago. But she'd used her Geass to buy a few more days of rest. She'd needed the time to think.

Most of her thoughts were centered, surprisingly, not on Euphemia, but on Rolo. She couldn't figure out why her Geass hadn't worked on him, and how he'd managed to vanish right before her eyes. The only logical conclusion was that he had his own Geass, though she couldn't even begin to decide what it might be.

Suzaku was the more immediate concern, though. He probably wouldn't accept Euphemia's choice, and however well-meaning he was, his misguided attempts at saving her might not only endanger the former princess, but interfere with Zero's plans. And while Nina was not one of the Black Knights herself, she would do everything in her power to see that Zero succeeded. It was the least she could do with the gift she'd been given.

But just as with Kallen, Nina's escape attempt was intercepted by an agent of Zero, although not in the same manner. For one thing, Zero had sent Chiba to the hospital. But no one had told Diethard Reid anything about Nina being in the hospital. He'd used his own resources to discover that, wanting to be sure that nothing to do with the explosion at Ashford was overlooked. He had not recognized Nina's name in the news reports, but he had known her face at once.

And while Diethard had not been involved with V.V.'s plans for some time now, he had never really forgotten meeting Nina. Their fathers had met to discuss a possible business venture, and V.V., seeming to be Nina's age at the time, had set himself up to be her new playmate. Diethard had no idea what V.V. had done to the girl, or why she should matter at all, but his curiosity wouldn't allow him to ignore this.

Nina didn't remember him when he walked into her hospital room with an armful of flowers. She had no reason to, as he'd barely said two words to her back then, and most of her time had been spent with V.V. (although she definitely didn't remember him, either, but for another reason entirely). But she was still the same shy girl to some extent, because she blushed and murmured that maybe he had the wrong room.

"No, I don't think I do, my dear," Diethard said warmly, setting the flowers aside and reaching to squeeze her hand.

The moment he touched her, Nina's mouth dropped open, her body going limp as everything she'd experienced in the past few days flashed before her eyes... and Diethard's.

"Are you alright, Nina? You look pale," Diethard said softly.

She blinked and looked at him through slightly glassy eyes. "Um... who are you?"

"Diethard Reid. You don't remember me, but we met long ago. My father is Headmaster Reid of the Imperial Colchester Institute. You had a play date with my... younger cousin."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember..."

"That's fine," he assured her. "I'm here for a different reason." Diethard reached up and drew back a hidden patch on his sleeve, revealing the emblem of the Black Knights. "I've come to take you out of here."

Nina's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. I see."

"Take all the time you need to get dressed and collect your things. I'll be right outside."

"O-Okay."

Diethard smiled at her before he turned to leave, chucking inwardly when she blushed again. This was turning out to be far easier than he'd imagined. The smile faded as he stepped into the hall and came face to face with someone from his past.

"You've grown, Diethard," V.V. said, sounding both pleasantly surprised and amused. "But what are you doing with my old playmate, I wonder? I'm not quite done with her yet."

Diethard frowned at him. "Keeping her safe, which is more than you've done."

"Oh, you're not nearly that chivalrous. What are you really up to, hmm?"

"I'm not going to hurt her, if that's what you're thinking."

V.V. smirked. "Did I say that? But you must realize that I won't allow your plans, whatever they might be, to progress any further until I get a satisfying answer out of you."

"I want to know what you did to her," Diethard said at last.

"Nothing I haven't also done to you," V.V. responded lightly.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"You're starting to bore me. That was always your problem, Diethard." V.V. shook his head and started walking away. "Play nice with my old toy, or our next visit won't be so pleasant. Oh, and I won't tell your father about your newfound skill. It'll be a nice surprise for the old boy, when you finally come back to us."

"That will never happen," Diethard snapped.

"One day you'll learn that Reids and time are tied to one another, and your control over it is tied to me. You'll be back with us sooner than you think."

* * *

Suzaku had been a soldier long enough to understand that Prince Schneizel's invitation had really just been a politely disguised order. He wasn't sure if he actually had much of a choice in the matter, one way or the other. Even if Schneizel actually allowed him to decline, it could have a negative impact on Camelot in general, and Lloyd and Cecile in particular. And of course everyone would call Suzaku an ungrateful Eleven for refusing an order from the Second Prince. He'd be lucky if he wasn't imprisoned again.

And there was always the chance that if he didn't personally save Euphemia, she could be hurt or worse by another soldier who wasn't as inclined to keep her alive and healthy. So there really was no choice at all.

But even after he'd accepted the invitation to join the ERS, Suzaku had no idea what he'd actually do. Euphemia had obviously joined the Black Knights willingly. She would probably resist if he tried to capture her. Lelouch wouldn't allow it, anyway. Attacking the people around them was one thing, but if it came down to it, could he really hurt two people who mattered so much to him?

These were the thoughts troubling Suzaku as he slowly put on his white piloting suit in his bedroom. Any minute now, he, Lloyd, and Cecile were supposed to attend a press conference that Prince Schneizel had arranged to respond to Euphemia's betrayal. From there, they'd proceed immediately to the staging area for Tohdoh's execution, to be held later that night. Suzaku had mixed feelings about that, as well, but Tohdoh's own words had sealed his fate. He had always told Suzaku that whatever path one chose in life, they should walk it with an unshakable belief in what they were doing. Tohdoh had made his choice, and he would die with the consequences.

"But will this really help restore Japan?" Suzaku murmured, closing his eyes tightly before a full-length mirror. When he opened them, the mirror reflected Shirley standing in the doorway behind him.

"Miss Cecile says you'll be leaving soon," Shirley said softly. "I thought I'd come and wish you luck."

He turned around, giving her a slight smile. "Don't worry, Shirley. I might not seem like it, but I am a trained soldier. I know what I'm doing, and I promise I'll come home safely."

"You didn't sound so sure when I came in," she pointed out hesitantly. "Do you really think you'll be able to save Princess Euphemia and Japan? It seems like a lot for one person to do."

"It is, but I have to try. I'm Princess Euphemia's Knight, and I know she wants to see Japan restored as well. That's the main reason she joined up with Zero, I think: she got tired of waiting for Britannia to do it."

"You... will come back, won't you, Suzaku?" Shirley whispered, biting her lip.

"I won't die, Shirley."

She shook her head. "What I meant was... you won't join the Black Knights, too, will you?"

Suzaku's eyes widened. He had never even considered that. How could he? He'd devoted so much time and effort into restoring Japan from within Britannian law. And now there was Shirley to worry about, so he couldn't just leave. Before he could even think of a response, Shirley closed the distance between them, threw her arms around his neck, and practically smashed her lips against his in a bruising kiss. His hands flew up to grasp her waist, more as a way to absorb the impact than anything else.

And when Suzaku didn't pull away immediately, Shirley softened the kiss, her desperation giving way to relief and gratitude. Suzaku was her moral center now, the one she trusted to tell her what was right in the world. If he abandoned her, or pushed her away, she wouldn't know what to do with herself.

A million thoughts raced through Suzaku's mind as the kiss went on, but the one he finally settled on was a surprising one. Shirley believed in him and needed him, possibly more than anyone else ever had. She hadn't walked away from him as Euphemia had, or turned her back on him as Lelouch had. Instead, she was willing to be anything he needed, so long as it kept them together. It was likely that she didn't love him, and was simply offering her body to keep him close. And as much as Suzaku didn't like that idea, with Euphemia gone, he hadn't experienced any physical affection, and was startled to realize how much he missed and wanted it.

Shirley pulled away first, and was shocked to see such obvious desire in Suzaku's eyes.

"Shirley," he breathed against her lips, "don't do this if you really don't want to. It wouldn't be fair to either of us, and I... I don't think I could stop if-"

She kissed him again, digging her fingers into his hair and willing him to sense how much she wanted this.

Suzaku finally responded, drawing her closer and emptying his head of all thoughts but the soft sweetness of her lips, the slightly floral scent of her hair, and the way his heart was pounding in his chest.

Cecile walked in on them in that position ten minutes later, blushed, turned right back around, and walked out. This time she made sure to stomp her way down the hall to Suzaku's room, and when she got there, Suzaku was waiting for her by the door, while Shirley was on the other side of the room, staring out of the window. Both were blushing as heavily as Cecile was, so she decided not to make it worse by teasing them. "It's time, Suzaku. Are you ready?"

"Ah... yes, I am." He turned towards Shirley. "I, um..."

"I'll see you when you get back," she said, glancing at the floor as Cecile and Suzaku turned even redder.

"Right," Suzaku choked out, and then he all but ran from the room, dragging Cecile by the arm.

"It's about time," was all Cecile said when they were a good distance away, poking him in the arm and giving him a knowing look.

"Don't tell Lloyd," Suzaku pleaded. "I have enough to deal with without him teasing me over this as well."

Cecile smirked and patted his cheek. "I won't have to, those puffy lips will tell him everything." She laughed as Suzaku cringed and started hitting his head against the wall. "Keep that up, and maybe we can convince him you were in a fight instead."

* * *

Nunnally had always been more observant than most people gave her credit for. Either because she was blind, or a girl, or young, or supposedly innocent, everyone just assumed that she didn't pick up on certain things. Instead, Nunnally had quickly learned to turn these supposed hindrances into strengths. Lelouch would give her practically anything simply because she was his little sister, but with a little effort on her part, so would anyone else. She made sure to use that ability sparingly, though, so as not to become a nuisance to the people around her.

This time, though, Nunnally felt an intervention was necessary. There was a growing tension between Lelouch and Euphemia, although neither one would ever admit it. Of course Lelouch was happy to have her around again, but even that presented certain challenges he hadn't had to deal with in some time. The problem was that Lelouch tended to be rather aloof, even with those who knew him best, so it would be tricky to confront him.

Euphemia, on the other hand, had made herself entirely available to Nunnally, obviously eager to regain their former closeness (although they had done that within the first ten minutes of being reunited, in Nunnally's opinion). Even better, she was far easier to talk to, and far less likely to keep secrets, at least from Nunnally. In a way, Nunnally would always be closer to Euphemia than she was with Lelouch, if only because there were certain feminine topics that Lelouch had, in a fit of both wisdom and desperation years ago, asked that Nunnally never bring up around him. It was truly a huge relief to be able to discuss such things with someone other than Sayoko or Kallen (not that they wouldn't have been adequate, but Euphemia just inspired a comfort level that they couldn't).

Even better, Nunnally never had to ask Euphemia for much-needed hugs. Anyone else might've asked for a reason first, or at least been a bit uncomfortable with the sheer amount that Nunnally preferred. But Euphemia understood, having known and loved Nunnally before she lost her sight and the use of her legs. True, the amount of hugs Nunnally wanted had only risen since then, but it had been rather large to begin with, and only Euphemia had ever even come close to meeting the daily quota (Kaguya had rated a few honorable mentions, though). As a result, Nunnally spent almost two-thirds of her time with Euphemia wrapped in her older sister's arms, all without having to ask first.

It was, unknown to Euphemia, the perfect position to interrogate her from. And it began with a seemingly innocent question as Nunnally was once again going to bed early.

"Euphie, do you still want to marry Lelouch?"

That Euphemia laughed before answering was a good sign. "Oh, Nunnally, I can't believe you still remember that! You didn't mention that to Lelouch, did you? It might explain why he's been acting so odd around me lately."

"No, I didn't say anything to Lelouch. But do you still want to marry him?"

Euphemia hesitated before answering. "Sweetie, that was a long time ago. We're very different people now."

"Are you?" Nunnally countered. "I don't think so."

"Well, of course you wouldn't," Euphemia replied, squeezing Nunnally gently. "Our feelings for you have never changed. But marrying Lelouch was a childhood fantasy of mine. Is it so hard to believe I could grow out of it?"

"But I know you, Euphie. You aren't the sort of person who could grow out of love with someone."

"Then perhaps I was never really in love with Lelouch at all. I admit the idea of being married did fascinate me once, but the older I get, the less it appeals to me. Single life is far less complicated, and has much more freedom. Besides, being married would cut into my time with you."

Nunnally pouted. "That's no excuse! I'd gladly give up time with you, if I knew you were spending it with someone who made you happy!"

"You make me happy, Nunnally, and I won't abandon you again. I promise."

"Euphie, you never abandoned me."

Euphemia shook her head. "I wasn't there. It's the same thing."

"But you're here now, and I don't want you punishing yourself for my sake. That won't make things better for anyone. You and Lelouch getting married might."

There was silence for a long moment, and then Euphemia stated bluntly, "I don't want to marry Lelouch, Nunnally. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but..."

"It would only upset me if there wasn't someone to take his place in your heart. I don't want you to be alone, Euphie."

Euphemia laughed softly. "I'm not, not really. I mean, there is someone, but I-"

"Who?" Nunnally asked eagerly. "Tell me!"

"Well... there's Suzaku."

"Suzaku?" Nunnally asked softly, her voice trembling.

"Um, yes," Euphemia answered, clearly surprised by her sister's reaction. "I thought you liked him?"

"I do. It's just..." Nunnally bit her lip and lowered her head. "I wanted to marry him," she murmured.

"Oh," Euphemia said softly. "Nunnally, I didn't know. Just say the word and he's yours."

"That's not what I want at all, Euphie. If you two love each other, then it doesn't matter how I feel."

"I wouldn't be a very good sister if I could ignore the idea of my happiness causing you pain."

"I agree," Lelouch said as he suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"H-How long have you been there?" Euphemia whispered.

"Not very long," Lelouch replied evasively, approaching the bed.

"You're both leaving now?" Nunnally asked, recalling that C.C. had mentioned as much earlier.

"In a few minutes. Kaguya and Sayoko will be here if you need anything while we're out." He took Nunnally's hand and kissed it. "I might even have a nice surprise for you when I get back, but promise me you won't try to stay up and wait for it."

"Okay, I promise," Nunnally sighed. "But before you go, what do you think about Euphie getting married?"

"Nunnally!" Euphemia hissed, blushing bright red.

Lelouch chuckled and shook his head. "I think the only way the man could be luckier is if he'd had the enormous pleasure of falling in love with you first, Nunnally."

"That's not a real answer!" Nunnally protested, but she was blushing just as bad as Euphemia was.

"Well, we really need to go now," Euphemia said quickly, giving Nunnally one last squeeze and dropping a kiss on her forehead. Then she all but dragged Lelouch from the room, and the moment they were out of earshot, demanded, "You heard everything, didn't you?"

Lelouch's smile faded. "I'm sorry, Euphie, but you aren't a normal girl."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, frowning.

"It means that you're a former princess, and we may need to exploit that fact. So don't be surprised if I ask you to marry someone you wouldn't under normal circumstances."

"What does a princess know about being normal?" Euphemia asked with an uneasy smile.

"I don't know if this helps or not," Lelouch added slowly, "but there's a very good chance that I'll ask you to marry Zero, to avoid complications, and to ensure that you won't be mistreated. That... wouldn't be so bad... would it?"

"It... wouldn't be horrible," Euphemia murmured, avoiding his eyes. "I mean, out of all of my brothers, you're the only one I ever pictured myself marrying out of choice. Um, I mean, Cornelia always warned me that it could happen, so I tried to keep an open mind, but I never-"

"You're rambling, Euphie," he interrupted, touching her shoulder gently.

"Oh. Was I?" She laughed weakly. "I didn't notice..."

"I know it probably doesn't match up to your fantasy," Lelouch began, smirking when she slapped his shoulder.

"You DID hear everything!" Euphemia cried, glaring at him.

"Would it help if I mentioned that I was immensely flattered?"

"No, it would not!"

* * *

Kallen's eyes widened as she stepped out of the truck and followed Chiba into a warehouse. "What are those?"

"Our latest gifts from Kyoto," Chiba replied, following Kallen's gaze to the four Knightmares kneeling in the darkness. "I'm sure you recognize the basic design."

"Did Zero arrange this, too?"

Chiba snorted. "Your man is indeed resourceful, but we've been dealing with Kyoto longer than he has. Lady Kaguya insists on considering me a personal friend, for some reason, and that does have its benefits. I suggest you take a few minutes to rest, we'll be moving out very soon."

Kallen just nodded, watching as Chiba walked away. Then she looked at the line of Knightmares again, finally noticing that there was a fifth, and that it was the Guren. She was a bit annoyed that Zero had just given it to the Four Holy Swords prematurely, but maybe he'd just known that Kallen would accept the invitation. It was eerie, how well he could predict people's actions. Eerie, but damn useful.

* * *

Suzaku nervously drummed his fingers on his arms as he, along with many other Britannians, watched Prince Schneizel formally assume command over the Imperial Army on live television. So far he had no real reason to doubt the prince: Euphemia had always spoken of him kindly, at least, and it was his experience that royals rarely ever bothered to hide their dislike for a person, so Schneizel probably did genuinely care about Euphemia.

At the same time, Suzaku suspected that the prince also had a hidden agenda, as that was what everyone but Euphemia tended to say about him. Schneizel had crafted a rather pleasing public persona over the years, but that just made it more likely that he was a man that knew how to get exactly what he wanted.

Maybe it was a good thing that he still saw Suzaku in a favorable light, then.

The door on the far side of the break room opened, and Suzaku glanced over his shoulder to see Anya and Gino enter the room. Right away, he knew something was wrong: Anya was smiling and humming, and Gino looked exhausted.

Anya immediately sat down at the table and began fiddling with her camera phone, humming louder than ever.

Gino quickly crossed the room and pulled Suzaku towards the corner, keeping one eye on Anya the whole time. "I should probably warn you that Anya isn't quite herself today," he muttered.

"Clearly," Suzaku replied.

"What I mean," Gino continued urgently, "is that she's more someone else than herself."

"Does this someone else have a name they prefer to-"

"Marianne."

Suzaku's eyebrows rose.

"I'm perfectly serious. Watch this." Gino turned and cleared his throat. "Lady Marianne?"

Anya turned to him and smiled. "Yes, my dear Gino?"

Gino blushed faintly. "Ah, everything okay? Need anything?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, darling, but thank you for asking." She blew him a kiss and went back to her phone.

Suzaku blinked a few times. "That is NOT Anya."

Gino rolled his eyes. "What did I JUST finish telling you?"

"What I mean is, are you sure you didn't just run into another girl with pink hair and assume she was Anya?"

"She was wearing Anya's clothes, using Anya's laptop, and eating Anya's food, so I'm PRETTY sure she's the right person. On the outside, at least. And it's happened before. Well, not to THIS degree for this long, but-"

"So it's normal for Anya to think she's a dead woman?"

Gino gave him a look. "That depends. Is it normal for a dead woman to take over someone's body?"

Suzaku stared at him.

"You think this is a joke, but it's not. Doctors can't or won't explain it, Anya can't control it, and now she might be gone forever." He shook his head and punched the wall. "Damn these cursed lips of mine! Too damn luscious for my own good!"

Suzaku warily took a step back.

Gino scowled at him. "Please. You're nowhere near THAT cute. I'd take my chances with Lady Crazy over there first. But that's what got us into this mess in the first place, I think."

"Should she really be piloting in that condition?"

"Are you serious? You do know WHICH Marianne that is, don't you? Besides, she seems to know everything Anya does, so that technically makes her twice the pilot Anya is. Besides, we recently got moved to a two-seater, so I can keep an eye on her."

Suzaku blinked several times. "You mean there's only two Knightmares on the entire squad?"

"Trust me, once you see the Gawain, you'll feel sorry for the other guys."

"Gino, what's your take on all of this?"

Gino eyed him curiously. "You mean, what do I think of Euphemia joining the Black Knights? Hard to say. I like to think I'm a decent judge of character, and I don't think she's the traitor type. But I don't think she's a hostage, either. So they must have had something that she wanted or needed, and wasn't getting here. Maybe power, or real fame, or-"

"Family?" Suzaku asked quietly, frowning to himself.

Gino tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean? She has family. She belongs to the Imperial Family."

Suzaku laughed bitterly. "That's exactly what I mean..."

Suddenly, there was a painful pinch on Suzaku's ear, and he found himself dragged down to stare into the frowning face of Anya.

"You need to get your priorities straight, young man," she said sternly. "If you go into battle like this, you'll only get yourself killed, and then what good can you do? Make a choice, and pursue it with your whole heart, or you'll never do anything right. She did, and now it's your turn. Is that clear?"

"Y-Yes, Lady Marianne," Suzaku murmured.

"Good boy." She released his ear and patted his cheek. "Gino, be a dear and dance with me? I'm so bored!"

Gino paled and pointed at the TV. "B-But the ceremony-"

"Is what's boring me. Come on, let's dance!" She grabbed his hands and began dragging him around the room in an awkward parody of what could've been dancing, had one of the partners been drugged or just very, very reluctant.

Suzaku shook his head and turned his attention back to the screen. "I want to believe this is right. But if Euphie really did leave to be with her family... what right do I have to take that away from her?"

**End of Part 9.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: One More Miracle**

Euphemia and Kallen must convince Tohdoh to work for Zero. But can they do that while still avoiding capture by Suzaku, Anya, and Gino?

* * *

Endnotes:

Okay, for those who think it wrong of Shirley to take advantage of a conflicted hero with a kiss at the most opportune moment, I point you in the direction of canon. I think the "my-father-died-so-you-have-to-kiss-me" trick is pretty low, and one of the things I like least about her character. Mind you, the main reason I feel that way is because Lelouch probably wouldn't have ever kissed her otherwise. Really, I think all of the Ashford girls react fairly badly when they don't get the guy (or girl) they want: Milly organizes school wide witch hunts, while Nina corners Table-kun (HA! did you get that?) and blows up lots of people (not simultaneously, thankfully, that would just be the worst level of wrong). Plus I feel bad that the really nice girls get killed, and they only seem to be kept safe by switching love interests...

If the idea of an Anya-Gino-Marianne triangle makes you want to toss your cookies, then maybe I did it right…


	10. One More Miracle

Notes: Okay, let's see if I can get back into the swing. This chapter draws from the Season 1 episode "Knight." I should point out again that certain events will proceed faster than in canon. But I don't expect anyone to like this chapter much, so it may undergo plenty of revision, or none at all.

Chapter Summary: The Four Holy Swords and the Black Knights liberate Tohdoh, but there are two factors that Zero fails to prepare for: Marianne wreaking havoc in the Gawain, and Suzaku, propelled by his promise to Shirley, setting his sights on Nunnally instead of Euphemia.

**Of Monsters and Men**

**A Code Geass Fanfic by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 10: One More Miracle**

* * *

Nina was not exactly thrilled to be around so many Japanese (she constantly had to remind herself not to think of them as Elevens), even if they were members of the Black Knights. Diethard was prepared for this reaction, and had kept Nina both busy and at his side since they'd arrived at the base. He had her go through potential battle strategies and assess the probability for success in various scenarios. It was only busywork: Zero had developed each one himself, and gone over them several times. But at present, there were precious few people on their side that could actually improve on Zero's plans, or at least offer a critical but qualified perspective to them. For all Diethard knew, Nina might stumble upon some winning strategy that Zero either hadn't thought of, or simply hadn't thought highly of at the time.

Although Diethard could honestly admit to himself that he had taken Nina out of the hospital solely to keep her out of V.V.'s clutches, part of him was glad that he hadn't simply let her go home. He felt he could put her Geass to good use, and failing that, her intelligence could only benefit him in his tasks for the Black Knights. So long as he didn't leave her alone for too long, she was easily managed with a few smiles and brief touches.

The bulk of Diethard's tasks for the day would center around welcoming the newest member of the Black Knights. He had little idea as to how Zero had managed it, but the fact that he even had was impressive enough. He had not quite decided how he would explain any of this to Nina when their workspace was suddenly and rudely invaded.

Several Indian men, with no word of explanation, simply walked in and began setting up computer equipment. They did not, at first glance, appear to be at all threatening, merely busy, and perhaps that was why Nina was more offended by them than afraid of them. Diethard cleared his throat before she could open her mouth.

"Don't bother them, Diethard, they're with me," said the Indian woman that strolled in next.

"So you've arrived, Rakshata. I didn't expect you to join up, at least not this soon."

She smirked, pointing her tobacco pipe at him. "Don't play coy with me. I know you Reids always have your predictions, and they're usually fairly accurate. That's the only reason I ever tolerated you bunch of busybodies."

Diethard noticed that Nina was watching them closely, and it occurred to him that she might even be jealous. "Oh, yes. Rakshata, I'd like you to meet a dear friend of mine. She's-"

"I know exactly who she is," Rakshata interrupted calmly. "Did you really think I was the type of person to join an organization without first being aware of everyone in it?"

Diethard narrowed his eyes. "Nina is not an official member of the Black Knights. How could you possibly know about her?"

Rakshata smiled. "I also make it a point to keep tabs on a few old friends, such as yourself. You Reids always kept the most interesting company. But I'm sure I don't have to tell you that information is power, Diethard."

"You were spying on me?" he demanded.

She shrugged. "You could think of it as me missing you, if you like. The result is the same. At any rate, we'll be partners for the immediate future. Nina, do be a dear and have the boys find you a spare lab coat. One of my assistants couldn't make it, and I think you'll make a suitable replacement."

"Why would I want to work for you?" Nina asked warily.

Rakshata chuckled softly. "Darling, the real question is, are you misguided enough not to?"

* * *

"It's almost that time, Tohdoh. You're still here?"

"Yeah, why don't you go ahead and miracle yourself free?"

To his credit, Tohdoh had been ignoring the taunts from the guards outside his cell for several hours now. He occupied himself by reviewing all the battles that he could recall participating in. It was true that he had made some mistakes, but he'd lived well, and had no regrets. And he must have done something right, because no one had ever called him Tohdoh of Mistakes.

Well, except for that last guard, anyway, but he'd already proven how much of an idiot he was.

In any case, while Tohdoh was not quite prepared to die, he was willing to accept it all the same. Even if the JLF was crushed the very next day, Britannia would not forget his name so easily. That, more than anything else, was what he privately considered to be his greatest accomplishment. It was one thing to turn a downhill battle in one's favor, but it was quite another when the enemy saw a single foe as being important enough to whisper his name among themselves.

Ironically enough, Tohdoh was not expecting or even desiring a miracle this night. And perhaps that, more than any other reason, was exactly why he got one.

Tohdoh was the first to hear the distant rumbling; the guards were too busy amusing themselves. By the time they finally did hear it, they barely had a moment to react as the wall behind them exploded inward, burying them under debris and the large, black hand of a Knightmare. The hand withdrew, then returned shortly, holding the last person that Tohdoh had expected to see.

"Good evening, General Tohdoh," Euphemia said, offering him a small, polite bow. "Please excuse the intrustion."

He just stared at her, resisting the urge to frown. "Why would a princess of Britannia break into a Britannian prison?"

She smiled at him. "I'm sorry, I'd forgotten. You're one of the few people that hasn't had access to the news channels. I've joined the Black Knights."

Tohdoh's expression did not change. "That would explain the outfit, but it will take more than that to convince me."

"She isn't lying, sir," Chiba said as she stepped through the hole in the wall, followed by a redhead he didn't recognize. "We've come to rescue you." She and the redhead shifted the rubble until they uncovered a guard, then searched him for a key.

"And what is it that Zero wants from me? Another miracle?"

"You are under no obligation to assist us," Euphemia replied. "Zero believes that your merely being free will contribute to Britannia's downfall. However, if you wish to offer your services, we will gladly accept."

"And why would I do that?" Tohdoh asked as Chiba opened his cell and went to work on his restraints.

"Because Zero will succeed where others have failed, whether you join us or not," the redhead answered.

"You're the red Knightmare's pilot," Tohdoh murmured, recognizing her voice. "So you survived."

She nodded, offering a small smile. "Kozuki Kallen, sir. I couldn't stay away when Chiba-san told me what happened. And as Euphemia is still new to our group, Zero wanted to be certain someone he could trust was with her."

Tohdoh said nothing, but inwardly, he was turning that over in his mind. Zero had assigned his best pilot to protect Euphemia? It was true that her name would still carry some weight, but if she was so important to him, why send her out into the field at all?

"Done, sir," Chiba said suddenly, tugging the straightjacket off of him.

"Thank you, Chiba," Tohdoh sighed, stretching his arms as he stood up. "You've gathered the others?"

"They're waiting outside in new Knightmares, and one of them is for you. Lady Kaguya spared no expense."

"I may need to thank her in person, then."

"You may get your chance sooner than you think," Euphemia said. "She's joined the Black Knights as well."

Tohdoh paused, glancing at Chiba and frowning when she nodded in confirmation. "Has anyone NOT joined the Black Knights recently?"

"Just you," Euphemia added in a slightly teasing tone. "And Schneizel's troops, who I suspect are converging on this location as we speak. But I have every reason to believe that our combined forces can hold them off until you're adequately armed."

* * *

Suzaku was used to being held back in battle. As an Honorary Britannian soldier, sometimes he was lucky to even be remembered by his superiors, no matter how impressive his record was. He had hoped, however, that things would improve under Prince Schneizel's rule, but it was looking like more of the same. The attack on the prison where Tohdoh was being held had been underway for almost ten minutes now, and still the Lancelot had not been deployed. On the other hand, neither had the Gawain, so it was possible that Euphemia simply hadn't shown up yet, and that the ERS wouldn't move until that changed.

Yet Suzaku had to be sure, because he didn't know enough about Schneizel to be sure of the man's intentions. Taking a deep breath, he opened a channel to the Avalon, relaxing slightly when Cecile's face appeared on the screen.

"Is anything wrong, Suzaku?" she asked.

"No, but... just sitting here, it doesn't seem like anything's changed, does it?"

She smiled apologetically. "I know what you're thinking, but something's come up. No one can locate the Gawain. It doesn't seem to be here, and since the ERS was more or less Prince Schneizel's ace for this operation, we haven't been deployed. I don't suppose you know where Gino and Anya might have gone?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, no. Anya's been acting pretty strange lately, but I didn't think she'd pull something like this."

"Well, stay alert. If we're lucky, Prince Schneizel will ask you to go out alone any minute now. From the reports so far, our forces aren't doing so well against the enemy. They have some new-"

"Major Kururugi," Prince Schneizel said as he suddenly leaned into view, badly startling Cecile. "I've received word that the Black Knights have secured Tohdoh. I don't want that man piloting a Knightmare again if it can be prevented. Can I depend on you?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Suzaku responded at once, seizing his Knightmare's controls. "Lancelot, moving out!"

* * *

Tohdoh was thankful to the Black Knights for taking part in the rescue operation, but he did not quite trust them yet. It was something of an honor to be riding in Zero's Burai, but that was just one of many he'd earned in his career as a soldier. So when Zero did not immediately head for the supply truck that should've contained an extra Knightmare, Tohdoh was on high alert.

"Don't be alarmed," Zero said, as if reading his thoughts. "I didn't free you from prison just to kill you. That truck is merely a distraction. Your Knightmare is on its way. I didn't want to risk it being discovered, and the best way to protect was not to leave it unpiloted."

"You really do plan for everything, don't you?"

"That's what they tell me." Zero switched channels on his com unit as he brought the Burai to a stop. "Delivery girl, we're ready for that package."

An instant later, Tohdoh's customized Gekka landed in front of them. "You really have no imagination at all, you know," C.C. complained as she climbed out. "Why put me in a Knightmare if I'm not going to use it?"

"A gentleman always protects a lady," Zero stated grandly as he opened up the Burai's cockpit, allowing Tohdoh and C.C. to switch Knightmares, "no matter how infuriating she may be."

"Then what's your excuse?" C.C. asked as she settled down behind him.

"I thought I'd just assume you were a lady for the time being."

C.C. glared at the back of his head. "You-"

"I am in your debt again, Zero," Tohdoh said over the radio, "but after tonight, we part ways. That is what I agreed upon with your princess."

"Fair enough, Tohdoh. But I think tonight's operation will showcase not only my tactical prowess, but Euphemia's as well."

"You had better be right, Lelouch," C.C. murmured. "I can feel her. She's coming."

"Who is?"

"Marianne the Flash."

* * *

Gino had never really thought that being a Knight of the Round would require him to be a backseat driver. But he had also never thought that he'd be co-piloting with a dead woman. Although trying to convince Marianne that she was supposed to be dead was very much like trying to tell the Emperor that he looked stupid with that wig on: an instant death sentence.

Marianne had quickly established herself as the senior of the pair: she had more experience (even if Anya's career was ignored), was a better pilot overall, and had made it clear that she did not take orders well. She hadn't hesitated to take over the Gawain's weapons system, leaving the maneuvering to Gino. He hadn't put up a fight, as he was worried that Marianne might have a way of hurting Anya without damaging herself.

Instead of heading to the prison where Tohdoh was being held, Marianne had first directed them to a set of coordinates where there was nothing but a large rock in the middle of a grassy field. Gino had waited anxiously while Marianne dug in the dirt for several minutes, until she returned carrying a small, dirt-encrusted object.

"Clean this up for me, Gino," she ordered, dropping it into his hands and bumping him out of the seat with her hip. "I'll handle the flying for now."

Gino was not sure what surprised him more: that the object turned out to be an engagement ring, or the inscription that bore the words, "Love Always, Charles."

Before he could ask, Marianne had glanced over her shoulder and said, "You're done? Good." And then she'd extended her hand back to him, wiggling her fingers. "On, please."

His hands shaking badly, Gino had barely managed to slip the ring onto her finger. Had she been looking at him, it certainly would've been impossible. He was very much aware that these were technically still Anya's fingers, and wondered how she might feel about this.

Marianne studied the ring for a moment before letting out an excited squeal. "Gino, darling! It's a perfect fit! Thank you!"

Gino was not about to believe that Anya's finger was the EXACT same size that Marianne's had been when Charles had proposed to her. That would've been a little too creepy and convenient (especially considering Anya's age). So it was more likely that Marianne was just a wee bit crazy. That, he could handle. Actually, he'd been suspecting it for quite some time, so it wasn't much of a shock.

"Now, we'd better go and greet our children," Marianne continued, focusing on her flying again.

Gino bit his lip, wondering if it was safe to correct her. "Sorry, you said 'our children,' didn't you?"

Marianne slowly turned around to stare at him with Anya's eyes. "Of course I did, lover. What else would I have said?"

"Huh. Dunno. Not sure what I was thinking," Gino murmured dully.

She smiled at him. "Don't worry. I'm sure your mood will improve once you see Lelouch again. I hear he's grown up quite well!"

* * *

The closer he came to encountering Tohdoh again, the more Suzaku understood why he had been chosen for this mission. It was not just because of any faith Schneizel had in him, or his record that proved he was an elite pilot. Suzaku had been chosen because he knew Tohdoh, and had trained under him for a time. And if there was only one thing that all of Tohdoh's students walked away with, it was knowing how the man thought.

It was easy for Suzaku to work his way through the prison compound without even catching a glimpse of the Four Holy Swords or the Black Knights. They had taken up key positions that offered them the best opportunities to stall their enemies. None of them had even considered charging straight through the prison as the Lancelot did. Suzaku knew that would come with consequences later, but so long as Tohdoh wasn't among the escapees, he knew Schneizel would overlook almost any other losses.

Tohdoh was easy to spot: his Knightmare was fighting back-to-back with the red Knightmare that Lloyd had identified as the Guren Mark II. Between them, they appeared to have no problems taking out any Britannian Knightmares that approached. Suzaku gritted his teeth, cursing Anya and Gino for leaving him in such an undesirable spot. If the Gawain was there, he wouldn't have hesitated to charge in, but with no reliable support, it would be impossible for him to take down Tohdoh and the Guren alone.

Still, he had his orders, and he wasn't about to let anyone say that he lacked courage.

"Lancelot, engaging!" he barked into his radio, firing his two arm-mounted Slash Harkens in an attempt to separate the two Knightmares. However, both Knightmares turned and countered the heavy blows with well-timed punches.

"You'll have to do better than that, Suzaku!" Tohdoh shouted over the radio.

Suzaku narrowed his eyes, more angry than startled. It didn't matter how Tohdoh had found out his identity. But telling everyone else wasn't going to make things any easier. "I won't let you go! A true soldier follows his orders to the end, right?!"

"Is that what you are now?" Tohdoh replied as his Knightmare met the Lancelot head on in a clash of swords. "Then carry out your orders and become my executioner, Major Kururugi!"

Those words made Suzaku hesitate, just as Tohdoh had known they would. It gave the Guren all the time it needed to attack the Lancelot from behind, knocking away the VARIS rifle that Suzaku had just begun to draw out. The Lancelot countered by spinning away from Tohdoh and crashing into the Guren with a devastating kick. That gave Suzaku barely enough time to arm himself with a second sword, which made it far easier to block Tohdoh's next slash. The Guren did not immediately attack again, and Suzaku was only slightly relieved when he risked a glance and saw the Guren falling back several feet.

Had he known what was in store for him, he would've been even more concerned.

Suzaku was preparing his next attack when a familiar voice rang out from the Guren.

"I command you to stop, Suzaku!"

Suzaku couldn't have disobeyed if he'd wanted to. Every muscle in his body locked up, and he broke into a cold sweat as the Lancelot's cameras reinforced his shock: the Guren's cockpit was open, and Euphemia was standing there, glaring straight at him. Of course he knew that she wasn't the pilot, but his eyes could not be bothered to take in any other details in that moment. So he didn't notice at all when his controls were suddenly bathed in and taken over by a curious red light.

He did notice, however, when the Lancelot turned and slowly moved towards the Guren, despite not being given any commands.

"Don't worry, Suzaku," Euphemia reassured him as it finally occurred to him to resist. "You won't be harmed in any way. We are simply going to have a nice, long talk."

* * *

Cornelia li Britannia was dead. For the time being, anyway.

There was only Cornelia now, and she had a great deal to do before she would consider herself Second Princess of Britannia again.

Under C3's brutal but effective training, Cornelia's mind had returned to her with astonishing speed. The main problem with that, however, was that she also recalled, with startling clarity, Euphemia shooting her. C3 had shown her security footage of that night from a curiously convenient camera, and what Cornelia saw matched her memories perfectly.

Euphemia had tried desperately to reason with her over the release of the Nunnally imposter. When it became clear that Cornelia would not be persuaded, Euphemia had shot her in the arm. For whatever reason, Cornelia had not braced herself for the impact at all, and took the fall badly, banging her head against the floor. Euphemia had then fled with the imposter.

Cornelia was not angry with her sister, not even over the gunshot wound. A bit frustrated, perhaps, but strangely proud that Euphemia had stood up to her, especially to the point of violence.

But Cornelia felt nothing but hatred for the imposter that had stained Nunnally's memory and fooled Euphemia into protecting her. Cornelia intended to spend every spare moment thinking up a death gruesome enough to match her sins. Channeling her rage toward the imposter was something that came easier to her, the more pain she experienced at C3's hands.

And that was without considering what had become of her face.

C3 had said that the scarring from the implanted Geass most likely would never heal. What she had not said was that the scar, in the form of a large, crimson Geass sigil, would be branded across Cornelia's left eye. The eye itself had become a milky silver color, and Cornelia could only see with it when her Geass was active. Fortunately, due to the nature of the Geass, there was hardly a time when she didn't use it.

Absolute Reflection was far more capable than she had ever imagined possible. At first, Cornelia had merely thought it was only good for producing a mirror, no bigger than a thumbnail. But the mirrors themselves had no physical substance, and according to V.V., were the secret to his intelligence network. Any information they reflected could be stored by the user and accessed later. The mirrors could even be placed within a person's eye, effectively viewing everything they did.

Those features, however, had been available in V.V.'s original Geass. Cornelia's mirrors were very much physical, and while they could not be placed as conveniently, they were still extremely difficult to detect under the proper circumstances. And, much to her liking, the mirrors now had battle applications. She could alter the size, thickness, and sharpness of the mirrors with little effort.

These abilities were not without certain costs: the disfiguring of her face, obviously, and the constant dull pain in her eye.

It had not escaped Cornelia's notice that she and C3 appeared to have much the same capabilities. The only real difference was that C3 was not human, and so she was not confined by human limits, such as fatigue. This was was clearly an advantage for V.V., who was her master and creator. Not so much for Cornelia, because while C3 understood that humans had built-in limits, she'd trained the princess as if unaware of that fact.

V.V. had only made one request of Cornelia: that she wait until their business was concluded before departing. He claimed he was building her a Knightmare that would fulfill her every desire. Cornelia could believe that, because her desires were simple now. She didn't want her old titles, or anything else from her old life back. All she wanted was the death of the imposter, and once she was ready, that would come all too quickly.

* * *

Marianne's "arrangement" with Anya was far more complex than even Gino realized. From all outward appearances, Marianne had simply forced Anya's mind into a little box and tucked it away in a dark closet.

This was wholly inaccurate.

Marianne's soul had been within Anya for years now, and she had been extremely busy in that time. She had familiarized herself with everything that was Anya, to the point where, if she'd had another body, she could've convincingly passed herself off as a close relative, even Anya's own mother.

But Marianne had found a better use for this knowledge. No matter how much she understood Anya, she also knew that she and Anya were ultimately two different people, and two minds were almost always better than one. So while Marianne easily could have completely locked away Anya's mind, she did not.

Instead, she merely overlaid Anya's will with her own. And despite Anya's prior experience with this, she was no match for Marianne the Flash, and certainly not for an especially determined version.

The effect was basically like having Anya as a backseat driver in her own body. Marianne was aware of Anya's thoughts at all times, but only Marianne was capable of making any decisions where the body was concerned. She had done this not to be cruel, but because even in her own self confidence, she had suspected that Anya's input might help more than harm. Not surprisingly, Anya was silent on a wide variety of subjects, so Marianne had to go by the brief pulses of emotion she could pick up. So far, the strongest had been any time she made a move towards Gino. But the more time Marianne spent in any Knightmare, the more involved Anya became in the piloting. Marianne's focus had always been accomplishing things with blinding speed, but she suddenly gained a new appreciation for just how powerful the Gawain truly was.

Which was not to say that she wouldn't have mowed down the Four Holy Swords as if they were nothing, had she been in any other Knightmare. Only that it might have taken a few seconds longer.

* * *

Euphemia was not all that skilled in Knightmare piloting. She knew enough to move them without falling over, to more or less shoot straight, and how to spot the best escape routes with the cameras. That was all a princess of her stature had ever been meant to know, and it had never done her any good, since Cornelia had done everything in her power to ensure that other than that less than basic training, Euphemia had never set foot in a Knightmare again.

Kallen had given Euphemia a crash course on how to move the Guren, and the lesson stuck more because of Euphemia's previous memorable ride in the red Knightmare. It was a little tricky to pilot with Kallen's essentially comatose body in the way, but that was the only way to ensure that the Lancelot would follow them without causing trouble. And it wasn't that Suzaku meant to cause trouble, it was just that he could be as stubborn as Lelouch at times, especially when he thought he was doing the right thing.

Euphemia had wanted Suzaku to join the Black Knights as well, but Lelouch had warned her that it simply wasn't possible at the present time. Not only would Suzaku resist the idea, but Britannia would not accept such a loss, despite its overall views on honorary Britannians. The best they could hope for now was to convince him to stay out of the way.

And only she could make sure that happened.

* * *

"The Lancelot is approaching the target zone," Nina murmured, staring at the display screen in front of her. "All preparations are complete."

"You're sure this will work, Rakshata?" Diethard asked softly.

"It may not be one of my children, but I still know how to deliver a proper spanking," Rakshata replied smugly. She tracked the white dot on the screen until it started to enter the red circle. "Nina, activate the Gefjun Disturber."

* * *

C.C. watched in silence as Zero grew more and more agitated. He had, of course, brushed off her claims that Marianne was now their opponent. His exact words were, "When I need help fighting a ghost, I'll let you know." But the damage reports on the Four Holy Swords were all too real. The cockpit on each of their Gekka had been smashed in, though the four pilots somehow miraculously survived with only minor bruising.

Even more troubling was that each pilot told the same, unbelievable story: they'd been defeated by a giant Knightmare, and it had used only Slash Harkens to stop them.

Zero didn't know what to do. His plans concerning Tohdoh and Suzaku were going so well, it was hard to believe that this one had utterly fallen apart. He should've expected this, though: Schneizel had always thought three steps ahead of him. The Second Prince always had another trump card to play, and he played them well.

It wasn't until Zero found his Burai in the grip of the enormous Knightmare that he began to entertain thoughts of actually accepting C.C.'s advice.

"Don't resist," C.C. said abruptly. "She isn't going to hurt you. She just wants to introduce herself."

Zero turned back to stare at her, no doubt assuming that she'd lost her mind. But when he faced the front again, he was startled to see a small, pink-haired girl perched just outside of the cockpit, waving at him with a merry grin. She looked to be completely unarmed, and Zero smirked beneath his mask as one hand went to the service pistol strapped to his leg. The other hand went to the control that slowly began to open the cockpit.

He lost sight of her for only an instant, but in that limited space, the girl somehow reappeared in Zero's lap, with his gun in her hand, pressed lightly against his chest.

"Naughty boy," she cooed, tapping his mask with a finger. "You shouldn't play with guns, Lelouch. Mother forbids it."

Zero stiffened before growling, "You aren't-"

"Does Nunnally still have that scar on the back of her left shoulder, from when she slipped and fell in the fountain?"

Zero said nothing.

"Have you been playing nice with C.C.? You know, I think you two were meant for each other."

"I think he wants you to get to the point, Marianne," C.C. suggested.

The girl frowned at her. "You always spoil everything, you know that?"

"It's a gift."

Sighing, the girl turned back to Zero. "You take good care of your sisters, Lelouch. I won't forgive you if they're hurt again. And go easy on Suzaku, he isn't too bright."

Zero wasn't listening. He was staring at the ring on her finger.

If she noticed, she pretended not to. "I'll be watching you, so be sure to be a good boy." With that, she tossed the gun to C.C. and hopped out of the Burai, running swiftly up the other Knightmare's extended arm.

"I told you so," C.C. couldn't help saying as the Burai was placed gently on the ground.

Again, Zero remained silent, even as the other Knightmare flew off.

C.C. very nearly tapped the back of his helmet and asked if he'd heard her, but the sight of his hands shaking so badly stopped her.

* * *

Kallen blinked and slowly opened her eyes, frowning thoughtfully when she became aware of the stiffness in her neck. Seizing the Lancelot with her Geass had been surprisingly easy, though that had been due to Suzaku's confusion overwhelming him. He had offered little to no resistance, this time. Had he actually been fighting her control, Kallen doubted she would've been able to move him into Rakshata's trap so easily. She was starting to see just how useful Euphemia really would be to Zero. Before, Kallen was only protecting Euphemia because she was Nunnally's sister. But if she was this willing to help Zero bring down Britannia, she would be even more important than Kallen had guessed.

It certainly didn't hurt that Euphemia had been able to end Suzaku's attack just by talking to him.

"You have to stop pursuing me, Suzaku," Euphemia was saying. "I won't come back. I won't be parted from Lelouch and Nunnally again, and I wish you would join us. I understand your ideals, but there's only so much good you can do from the inside of a heartless empire."

To Kallen's surprise, the Lancelot's cockpit opened up. Though Euphemia had told her the identity of the pilot, it was still very strange to see Suzaku revealed in the white Knightmare. He looked every bit the soldier that had caused so many problems for Zero.

"Should a Knight's bond with his princess be so easily cast aside, Euphie?" Suzaku asked. "If you didn't want me to come after you, then you should've dismissed me from your service before you left! Now I can never stop until I bring you back where you belong!"

Euphemia glared at him. "If you tear me away from my family, my true family, I will never forgive you, Suzaku! How can you break poor Nunnally's heart twice over? All she wants is her family, and the freedom to one day be your wife!"

For a long moment, Kallen was sure that Suzaku had been defeated by Euphemia's words. Suzaku looked pale, and his hands were shaking. He obviously hadn't known that last part, and it was taking its toll on his conscience.

But then Suzaku raised his head, and his eyes were bright and clear.

"You have sworn allegiance to the Black Knights, Euphie. Has Nunnally done the same?"

Euphemia blinked, clearly startled. "No." In truth, Nunnally had never been offered the choice, nor had she requested it. She was their honored guest, as far as Zero was concerned.

"Then I can save her from this madness while she's still innocent. As for her broken dream,

I will bear that loss by becoming her Knight, once she is restored to her rightful place. For right now, I have a promise to keep!" Suzaku ducked down as the cockpit slid shut.

"What's he doing?" Kallen wondered aloud. "He can't move it while the Gefjun Disturber is active. He can't do anything!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Kallen," Euphemia whispered. "Suzaku has a talent for achieving the impossible. Maybe you'd better take control again, just to be sure. If nothing else, he could be stalling until reinforcements arrive."

The words were barely uttered when a large shadow fell over them.

Kallen pulled Euphemia down instinctively, but soon saw there was no need. The giant Knightmare passing overhead wasn't going to stop, nor was it aiming at them. It fired a trio of Slash Harkens from its fingertips, and each one slammed into ground just outside the Gefjun Disturber ring, ending the Lancelot's imprisonment.

Cursing, Kallen narrowed her eyes and activated her Geass. Her spirit rushed out to seize the Lancelot again, but now there was plenty of resistance. Suzaku still had no idea exactly what she was doing, but he was now so determined not to be stopped that Kallen had trouble keeping a firm grip on the white Knightmare. She was only in control long enough to slash at one of its own landspinners with the MVS, and then Kallen was practically thrown back into her body by Suzaku's will. Still, she had gotten a glimpse of the reason behind his newfound motivation, and could hardly believe it.

"Shirley? She's still alive? But how?"

There was no time to dwell on that revelation: the Lancelot was fleeing the scene along with the giant Knightmare, and oddly enough, both sides were calling for a retreat.

* * *

Prince Schneizel looked distinctly unhappy as his subordinates continued to relay the orders for retreat. He did not like the idea of pulling out of a battle without having accomplished anything, but had not been willing to take any further risks. They had lost Tohdoh, and the Lancelot had been completely immobilized and then damaged, if only slightly. Normally, that would not have been enough reason to pull back.

Except that nothing was normal where Anya was concerned.

Schneizel had been warned, by the Emperor himself, that if Anya ever gave him an order, he would be wise to accept it. At the time, Schneizel had thought it utter madness. Anya often had to be prompted to say more than two words at once. What was the likelihood of her ever giving Britannia's Prime Minister an order?

But Anya had, though she'd sounded and looked completely unlike herself. She had flat out told Schneizel to pull back, and offered no reason.

And he had listened, for no other reason than the fear of hearing his cursed father's laughter ringing in his ears. There was something that Schneizel found so appalling and offensive about that man's laugh, especially when it was directed at himself.

* * *

Shirley had fallen asleep by the time that Suzaku got home, but that didn't matter. He sat on the floor beside her bed, took her hand, and gently kissed it. "I'll always keep my promise, Shirley," he murmured. "I'll always come back."

* * *

As he walked through the base of the Black Knights, Tohdoh continued to reflect on that night's battle. Zero had managed to surround himself with some rather impressive soldiers, and even managed them fairly well. But that was not enough to convince Tohdoh to join up. Perhaps his thoughts were being overshadowed by the failures of his own people, but he was in no way disappointed in them. No one had been prepared for that monster of a Knightmare, and that they'd survived at all was a miracle in itself.

Now that he'd seen everything that Zero had to offer, Tohdoh was ready to collect his people and leave. He'd heard that Kaguya was visiting them in the infirmary, so with some luck, they could soon have replacements for the four Gekka that had been destroyed.

Predictably, the moment Tohdoh walked into the infirmary, Kaguya latched onto his waist and began chattering nonstop. He merely endured it and nodded at the appropriate times, waiting for a chance to discuss future endorsements.

It was then that he noticed something... odd.

Asahina, Senba, and Urabe were all seated on a nearby couch, looking distinctly uncomfortable. The reason for this was clear: each of them was wearing a large amount of bandages.

PINK bandages.

Tohdoh decided not to further disgrace them by laughing. Barely. Instead, he cleared his throat and asked, "Did you identify your attacker?"

All three men turned bright red, and Tohdoh knew at once that they'd gotten the wrong impression. "I meant the pilot of that Knightmare, not... whoever did this to you," he added reluctantly.

"No, sir," Asahina answered regretfully.

"But, while we are on the subject..." Tohdoh's gaze went back to the pink bandages, causing the men to squirm.

"It was the former princess, Euphemia," Urabe muttered, rubbing his head. "She insisted on treating our wounds personally. She claims that their lack of intel was to blame for our getting hurt, and apologized to all of us."

Tohdoh's eyes widened in surprise. "Where is she now?"

"Patching up Chiba," Urabe said.

"Euphemia didn't treat her first?"

Urabe shook his head. "She couldn't. Chiba put up the biggest fight out of all of us."

"And why is that?"

Tohdoh was amazed to see that Urabe actually looked bashful. "Well, Euphemia asked us all so nicely. It just didn't work on Chiba."

"I suppose the fact that she's beautiful had nothing to do with it?"

"She threatened to cry!" Asahina quickly added, as if he thought it would help their case.

Kaguya giggled slightly. "Euphie is a surprisingly effective negotiator, Tohdoh. She's more imposing than she seems."

This was proven true in the next few seconds, when Chiba suddenly ran up and hid behind Tohdoh, followed closely by Euphemia, who was carrying a large roll of bright blue bandages. Not surprisingly, Tohdoh's men stared at the blue bandages, and then at their own, rather mournfully.

"Is there any particular reason why you used the blue ones on Chiba?" Tohdoh asked.

Euphemia blinked. "Well, she preferred those. Although I was a little startled that none of your men complained about the pink ones. It must be nice that they're so secure in their manhood!"

"Yes," Tohdoh murmured, watching as all three men dropped their heads in shame, "nice..."

"Can we get out of here now, sir?" Chiba hissed in his ear once Euphemia had left to treat another wounded soldier.

"No. We're staying."

Chiba stared at him in horror. "But why?!"

"You want access to Zero's resources," Urabe guessed.

Tohdoh smirked. "No, it isn't that."

"Because of Lady Kaguya, then?"

"Not entirely."

"It's not because of HER, is it?" Chiba asked, glaring at Euphemia's back.

"It is."

The men shared a concerned look, not expecting their leader to have fallen so easily into the same trap they had.

"She cares," Tohdoh said simply. "She is sincere in her belief that Zero can save this world. And even if he can't, she will surely find her way to the one who can. A girl with such a pure heart can do no less."

"...it was the pink hair, wasn't it?" Asahina added. "That's what got me."

"Shut up," Chiba growled.

* * *

Kallen stood beside Nunnally's bed in silence, watching as the girl slept peacefully. They had been apart for some time, and Kallen didn't need her Geass to know that Nunnally had missed her. It was simply the girl's nature to do so, and anyway, Kallen had missed her, as well.

Taking a deep breath, Kallen slowly reached out and lightly brushed Nunnally's cheek with her fingertips, smiling when the girl turned towards her and murmured sleepily, "Kallen?"

"I'm here, Nunnally," Kallen confirmed, taking her hand.

"Missed you," Nunnally sighed, obviously not fully awake.

"I missed you, too. Go back to sleep now. Everything's fine."

Nunnally was asleep again in seconds.

Kallen stared at her for several more moments, replaying Suzaku's words in her head. "I'll always protect you, Nunnally. I won't let him take you. You'll never lose your family again."

She noticed Lelouch standing in the doorway, but said nothing until he came to stand beside her. "I'll have to kill him to keep him away, won't I?"

"It's likely," Lelouch stated.

"Will she ever forgive me?"

"It won't matter. If and when you do it, I'll tell her it was me. That way, if she can't forgive me, she'll at least have you."

Kallen stared at him in shock. "Why?"

"For her happiness," he replied, walking away, "even if I'm not a part of it anymore."

**End of Part 10.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: All for My Lady**

The Euphemia Retrieval Squad (now actually the Nunnally Retrieval Squad) goes against orders and launches a daring assault on the Black Knights' base. Zero finds himself stranded on an island with two odd children, and Cornelia.

* * *

Endnotes:

Um, let me know if Tohdoh's rank is wrong, I've seen it listed as two different things.

You may notice there was no mention of Marianne using the Gawain's Hadron Cannons. There actually is a reason for that (other than the crazy, I mean).


End file.
